When Headlines Go Bad

One of the pitfalls of writing is that it is easy to get the cart before the horse, logically speaking, or the death before the gunshot, as in this morning's BBC offering:

Camp guard shoots dead Ugandans

When we first saw the headline we thought: What kind of perverted guy would shoot the bodies of dead refugees? Perhaps he wanted to be sure they were dead, rather like the Roman soldier who thrust a lance into the side of Jesus on the Cross?

But it turns out to be one of those headlines where it sounded better inside the head of the journalist than it looks in print.

A refugee camp guard in northern Uganda has shot dead at least 10 displaced people with 13 others in hospital, some with their legs shattered.

An army spokesman said the attack at Ogwete in Lira district, was carried out by a local defence militiaman. He is reported to be on the run.

The man apparently shot his victims after an argument over a woman.

The area houses around 1.5m people who have fled attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.

Army spokesman in Lieutenant Deo Akiki said people who knew the militiaman had no idea of the potential danger he posed.

He will face a court martial and could face a death sentence if apprehended.

Shows you don't have to have a TV to be afflicted with sex and violence.