A 17-year-old girl was shot near Albany State University’s East Campus, prompting a temporary campus lockdown that has since been lifted.
What It Means For You: Albany residents can resume normal activities around the university area now that the lockdown has ended, though police are still investigating the incident.
What’s Happening: The teenage victim is being treated at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital for injuries that are not life-threatening.
Between the Lines: Police had a significant presence at Wild Pines Apartments on Sands Drive following the shooting, where witnesses observed one person in handcuffs.
The Big Picture: The shooting temporarily disrupted campus operations as students and staff were instructed via text message to seek shelter and lock doors until authorities determined it was safe.
The Sources: Albany Police Department
Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
