RCMP sign. (Lethbridge News Now)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Brooks death prompts warning not to spread misinformation on social media

Sep 21, 2020 | 12:55 PM

BROOKS, AB – The death of an elderly man due to natural causes Saturday has prompted the Brooks RCMP and the City to advise residents not to spread misinformation on social media.

According to the Brooks RCMP, EMS responded to a medical distress call near the Circle K at around 8 p.m. Saturday.

The death was non-criminal in nature, and RCMP were called out to assist as part of joint response – something RCMP say is typical in cases involving the deceased.

What soon followed, set off a flurry of concern from the public.

“Unfortunately, someone took photographs of the emergency vehicles and posted that on social media, and as well made comments that it was a shooting, and a male was deceased because of that shooting. So that information was totally inaccurate and inappropriate,” said Brooks RCMP Cpl. Rob Harms.

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The post on Facebook, which showed three RCMP cruisers, and two EMS vehicles was also viewed by family members of the elderly man.

“It created all types of grief and as a result of that the City of Brooks put a social media release out advising people that it was non-criminal in nature, and encouraging people not to spread false information,” Cpl. Harms said.