Nia Wilson was murdered in cold blood while waiting for a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train Sunday night, with most news outlets remembering the victim with any number of standard photos of the 18-year-old. One station, however, chose to use a photo of Wilson appearing to hold a gun during its report and was immediately called out for attempting to vilify the young woman.
During its report, KTVU Fox 2 used a photo of Wilson holding what appears to be a gun up to her ear. It was actually a cell phone case, which social media pointed out while accusing the station of trying to criminalize the slain victim.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!
Out of all the pictures KTVU decided to use this picture of this beautiful 18 year old #NiaWilson who was murdered execution style by a White man.
This was an attempt to vilify her and retract sympathy for her murder.
SHAME ON YOU KTVYU!
— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) July 24, 2018
You should be ashamed of yourself for running that photo of Nia with a gun.
— Calendrical Heretic (@PreciousBFluids) July 24, 2018
YALL THAT PICTURE OF NIA WILSON IS A PHONE CASE FUCK YOU VICTIM BLAMERS!!! pic.twitter.com/gpMPaBXoZg
— Kawaii and homosexual as fukc (@sleepy_bear_zzz) July 24, 2018
I can’t believe that news outlet posted a picture of Nia Wilson with her phone case and tried to act like it was a gun to paint her as a criminal
— Jayla (@jaylawayla13) July 24, 2018
KUTV used a picture to make Nia Wilson a suspect in her own death. An image of a “gun” to justify her death. Except it was a phone case. And she’s still dead whether you try to undo the damage to her image. At the… https://t.co/wWjRvL8vwL
— Incredible HOElk (@NikkiAnnieInc) July 24, 2018
The station has since issued an apology.
Shout out to @KTVU for addressing their mistake and apologizing for it. Very important. 👌🏾 pic.twitter.com/rBMPGxr7y1
— Eric Junior (@ericjunior) July 24, 2018