Police: Please Do Not Pass Photograph On
[Updated] The police said there is a graphic image of tonight’s [Jan 12] road traffic fatality circulating on social media, and have appealed to people to please not pass it on, noting that the image began circulating before the man’s family had even been formally notified.
The image, which is very graphic, appears to have been taken with a camera phone immediately after the collision.
Police Media Manager Dwayne Caines said, “The Police Service would like to advise the public that there is an image circulating on social media that depicts a gruesome image of the most recent road traffic fatality.
“Passing on this image is in poor taste, and does not take into consideration the family and friends of the deceased who, while the image was circulating, had not even all been formally notified.”
“If you receive the image please disregard it, and do not pass the image on,” added Mr Caines. “The next of kin has not been notified yet.”
Update 9.42pm: A police statement said, “It has been brought to the attention of the Police that there is an image circulating on social media that depicts the recent victim who was involved in the recent road traffic collision.
“The Bermuda Police Service would like for members of the community to refrain from posting the image as it does a disservice to the family and friends of the deceased.
“If you receive the image please simply delete it immediately and do not pass it on. As of 9:30 this evening next of kin has yet to be notified.”
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Category: Accidents and fires, All, News
Why would someone even take a photograph of that. So horrible.
This is Bermuda.
Not a good excuse.
Not really an excuse, more of a reason
……
Disgusting. Sadly, it’s a reflection of the current ‘I don’t give a cr@p’ attitude that is permeating the Island….
@ Karma, I agree, like (what a waste of *!@#*** film).
Maybe the “reality” of seeing this image will register with all those speeding – intoxicated (alcohol and drugs) and reckless driving lunatics – who are also threatening the lives of other innocent road users to finally WAKE-UP and realize this is NOT a game!!!
Sometimes you have to tell-it-like-it-is – to make your point!!!
Are you serious? This is someone’s loved one and to see that gruesome photo can only make this tragedy even more traumatic. Insensitive. I guess you can say this Bc its not one of your family members. Do you think this photo will really stop the reckless driving / riding.
To be honest it’s not just Bermuda. Happens all over the world. In the past, if someone fell or got hurt people would be more inclined to help, now people with camera phones are more inclined to take a picture first send it out and then ask if the person is ok if no one has in the meantime has assisted the person. Sad times.
It’s not just the person that took the picture and sent it to the contacts, it’s also the people that decided to send the picture to their contacts.
Very uncaring.
‘This is Bermuda’ is why they are requesting that people stop. Take a look at other countries and you will find these actions common.
I agree with you…
This sort of thing happens the world over. There is simply no way on earth to police or control it. I agree it’s tasteless though. God rest this mans soul and condolences to this mans family and friends.
Actually while it may not be illegal to do such it is at least despicable and a gross violation of people’s privacy.
The people who do it should be tracked, named and shamed, and if necessary see how they feel having their picture (while alive) on the front page.
It is gruesome. A sad reflection on what we, as a society, have become. It’s all about online presence and not actually being present, unfortunately!
I saw this accident right after it happened and it was obvious that the rider was not in a good way. Nobody was helping him!! (this was before ambulance/police arrived). They were just taking pictures and calling their friends.
I would hope that if I ever was in a serious accident, someone would just sit with me and hold my hand until help came and not just instagram the story.
This is so sad. I’m crying. Honestly no one was helping him? As you say if it was clear that it was his last moments. Why not hold his hand and pray over him. Ask the Lord to be with him. If one was scared to hold his hand pray OVER him. I cant see anything else to do at that point and time.Even if one was not a praying person…. CALL ON THE LORD! Not take pics!!!! What are we as Bermudians coming too? I don’t even know who the person is,that should not have mattered either! It’s sad to hear camera’s were drawn before a praying heart,and humble hands n knees. God be with his family. I’m so sorry for your loss.
People are losing the ability to connect… unless it is through these devices. This is another call to WAKE UP and make a change… that things are not headed in the right direction. Sadly many/most will just hit the snooze button and roll over.
What changes are you making? Change normally starts at home!
Even though I’m not really a praying person, I would have at least tried to comfort him-it’s something I’ve done before. Talk with the victim so he’s not alone by himself on the cold, hard ground. There’s no law against taking photos but it’s so cold-the person certainly didn’t waste time sending it out, either.
There’s very little that could have been done. The picture was senseless but I cannot blame anyone for not wanting to put themselves through the traumatic experience of being closer to the body.
Including yourself…you refused to pray over him, but instead will post on bernews.
Why?
I pressed dislike on your comment by accident. Absolutely agree with you because that is the same question I asked too…what was “whatever” doing to help…if anything at all
R.I.P.
Its really a global practice, there is a guy on face book called Ian Alleyne from Trinidad and he shows actual shootings, dead victims and Road accidents all on facebook, so i think its just a common practice, still dosen’t make it right
tad bit to late for that message…. sign of times unfortunately … Condolences to his family RIP !
It is a despicable act to take such a picture and even worse to then send it around. Really, what lunatic would do this? It is also disturbing that the Police have to ask the rest of us not to share the picture. Sad.
I cannot fathom what kind of person would do this! It’s despicable. I couldn’t associate with someone who would be so incredibly cruel, but if someone sent me a photo of something so tragic, I would be compelled to report them to the police. At the very least, the device should be confiscated and destroyed. Did they give a single thought to how this would torture a family already in shock and unbelievable anguish?? Is there some kind of sick thrill in witnessing the end of someone’s life and “sharing” the experience to make yourself feel important? A person like that needs therapy. It makes me so angry!
It’s been reported to the police-how do you think they know? However, this is a democracy so they cannot confiscate and destroy one’s phone for taking a photo in a public place; if that were the case, every photographer working for the media would be arrested-the only thing is that the media have some decency in what they show to the public. I understand your frustration but what you suggest would have us going down a slippery slope and turn us into a police state if the police could just seize people’s property willy-nilly for doing things like this. It’s cruel, it’s distasteful but it isn’t illegal.
I find it sooooo distasteful of the person who took that photo, HOWEVER for others to share it is even more disgusting. This is someone’s family member who hads to deal with the lost on top of the insensitivity and desensitised people who think nothing of seeing a fatally injured individual!!!
Very sad very really whoever took the pic should be ashamed that is just sick i hope u get locked up
Same reason other pictures circulate when other things happen..welcome to LITTLE BERMUDA where we have SMALL minded PEOPLE! This is what BERMUDA lives for! It’s sad but it happens .. My condolences to the family but Bermuda is jus gone to the dogs..
I understand your point but to refer to Bermudians as small minded is harsh. How many times have you watched the news and seen something graphic happen? They do it for ratings. You make it seem as though it happens only here in Bermuda where people take or post pics of accidents, this behaviour happens EVERYWHERE.
Check the cctv camreas
It seems that a growing number of people in society suffer from an extreme lack empathy. Maybe it is the desensitization from graphic movies, video games, internet violence, etc. I don’t know. But it seems that many people would not understand the level of hurt they impose by actions such as these. This is a big problem for them but also one for society as a whole.
Just as in the case of unwanted celebrity photos, you would think that the deceased family would have a legal right to challenge such a graphic photo of a loved one’s death in a court of law. Presumably the source can be found online somehow.
Disgusting nasty people if it were one of theirs they wouldn’t like the image of their relative passed around. You should be ASHAMED and prosecuted sickos …. Maddening. Sorry to the family who may see this from a small minded person
There is no law against taking a photo of an accident victim. As disgusting as it was, people can take a photo in a public place. If they couldn’t, tons of journalists at scenes of stuff happening would be thrown into jail.
Again, in no way am I defending it but you can’t throw people in jail for taking a picture. If that’s the case, you also need to lock up all the hundreds of people that probably forwarded it on. I received it from at least a dozen sources, and I deleted it and told all of them don’t be sending that s#@t to my phone!!!
What does that say about your friends? They felt free to share such a distasteful picture.
Read what i said.
I said sources, I didn’t say friends.
They are in your circle to have your direct contact info. Better?
As a self employed person, I have tons of contacts in my phone. I also have my neighbors, relatives, husband’s colleagues and associates from the clubs I am in. That’s why I said sources, we can choose our friends, but not all the others we have to be in contact with on a daily basis.
Now that I’ve made that clear, do YOU feel better now?
You can’t say what you would or wouldn’t do if it were sent to you. Every person here condemning it would probably do the same thing-let’s just be real.
Speak for yourself…
I received the picture. Deleted it immediately before I even looked at it and informed the sender that it was in very poor taste to forward on…
Listen to all you perfect people. Although I do not condone these actions how many of you watch every day on the damn tv news throughout this world disasters n murder I might add n don’t react to it. How many of you complained when the young man was murdered by the (human) police and that was displayed every day. Go along and put your dislike tick here. Everything is oh Bermudians have become terrible people. It happens all over the damn world. Don’t here nothing about Americans and who is worse than them. Go watch your tv’s n complain to the networks about all the junk they put on. RIP sir. Sorry family he had to leave us n become news this way.
I bet the same people here complaining all looked at the picture. Human curiosity.
Your point and Self’s are good ones.
I think there are two reasons why people are reacting so strongly.
Firstly, this is a local incident. People can feel the impact of the photo and the pain of the family when an incident happens near them. This is human nature. I expect people did object to the photo of the teenager gunned down by the police.
Secondly, i think there is a difference between a graphic photo of a deceased accident victim and most other photos. The former causes a lot of pain and the latter probably none. Even if the photographer has the legal right to take the photo, he may be stopped, both morally and legally, from passing it on. His moral duty is to not impose pain to others. Legally, there might be privacy laws that he breaches if he passes the photo on.
No, that’s crap. Sorry. Sure, there are media outlets and so-called “news” stations that try to capitalize on human suffering. In the name of what? Ratings. $$$. So that makes it OK? No, it sure doesn’t!
Here we are, a tiny island of 60,000 people. We are a COMMUNITY. We recognize each other when we walk down the street, when we’re in the bar, when we’re buying groceries. We are not America. One of your neighbors (who you probably knew, or at least recognized) was just involved in a horrific accident. It is not the same thing at all.
What would YOU do? Comfort him? Stop traffic? Call 911? Or do you take pictures and send them around to your friends?
Your comment is bordering on ridiculous. First of all, there was nothing that could be done for him and 9-11 was already called so let’s not exaggerate that point. Secondly, do YOU know 60,000+ people? Of course not, so don’t assume that people knew him.
I am not defending the person who took the photo’s actions but these posts are bordering on hysterical and are becoming silly and irrelevant. It happened and it happens everywhere-it’s a dark side of human nature that we can’t control. However, these sanctimonious posts are starting to irritate me-people who admit they received the photo through no fault of their own and didn’t forward it are even being attacked here now even though they can’t control what was sent to them. Maybe it makes some of you feel really high and mighty to decry others but I’d bet my boots that if someone sent it to you, you would share it with at least one other person.
Don’t forget the majority of people on this forum walk around with halos around their heads when they’re not hiding behind their computers.
Some Bermudians love to feel self righteous and moral when convenient. You know the types who write long ranting posts about things like this on Facebook purely for the attention and reaction they will get in return. To me they are no better than the ones they are condemning, they are nothing but attention w#@res. The police should not say a word. This happens all over the world, you can’t stop it. All this is doing is making the people who haven’t seen it curious. Speaking of, curiosity is human nature and of course we all would be appalled if this was one of our loved ones but that doesn’t change the fact that most of us want to see things we really shouldn’t. It’s sad that people sit and take pictures like that but that’s just how humans are.
We have some thoughtless people among us. It must be possible to trace the origins of the the pics. Share that persons picture & name around.
It blows my mind that someone could be selfish enough to stand and take a picture at a scene as traumatic as this.
For what purpose? To say you saw it first??? You couldn’t think of anything more useful to do? Comfort someone? Direct traffic?
To the person who took that photo: you are disgusting, SELFISH, insensitive and pathetic. I suggest you seek mental health treatment. You need help.
I hope the family and friends of the deceased are able to find comfort in each other. Same to those on scene, first responders, and the others involved. Please know that the community at large condemns this vile senseless act.
U wanna c a change…anytime we here something went on in bermuda we rush to bernews n wherever….we want d story n pics…it’s not little bermuda it’s human nature…bombs drop over seas everyone tunes into cnn…yes it’s not fair to the families…but what?!?!?!? End these stushy conversations…something’s in life are just going to happen…and people will want to know…and those that know will want to show it…a very distasteful hard and cold reality….
While I hope that next of kin find out first, fast news is unfortunately an increasing reality of our time. Perhaps a few gruesome images will help slow people down on our roads? #driveresponsiblybermuda #illiminatethe3rdlane
I was told it was a child (teenager) who took the picture. The question is, why are the parents allowing this and why did the parents allow the child to witness such a scene?
Maybe the parents weren’t there? If the teenager was 16 or over, they very well could have been travelling on their own transport. People need to stop blaming parents for everything.
May this man rest in peace. no one knows why we do things , we just do. so sorry this went around.
I was shocked to find the photo was emailed to me – who expects to see something like that in their email?! Sincere condolences to the friends and family of the victim. Shame on the person who took and shared the photo.
It lacks humanity to say the least god forbid one day it isn’t a close relative they don’t recognize because of injuries.Some s@&t you just can’t take back.
If we had this technology 30 years ago it still would have happened it is the nature of the beast and the beast is ugly.
Why do you think we have so many photos of lynchings (with people standing in the background taking in the scene)? People have been taking pictures of horrible and gruesome situations for years (war victims with body parts blown off, murder victims, etc). It is nothing new, nor is it unique to Bermuda. With social media, it just means the pictures circulate a lot faster.
Shock Value People!! We all need to see it! SLOW THE HELL DOWN!! OR YOU WILL BE NEXT!!!
You should try’n treat people as you would wish to be treated…this picture taking,when you could be assisting a human being in distress indicates a type of excited hysteria prevalent in a rudimental society, immature response of a mind not fully formed yet!In this day and age,we have an animal like reaction like this?This picture “must” have an electronic signature.As a culture we should seek out this callousbehaviour and shame it…..we are our brothers keeper in this sort of thing and if we have the time and calm to take an effing picture….then we have the time to assist!Shame on you…….you dizgust me!
prosecute the culprits- with all this technology why can’t the police trace where the origin of the pic came from- do some work police dept- confer with the Tech people/phone companies and find out who took the pic- this nonsense -it makes no sense to say’ do not send the photo’. we are not dealing with sensible persons. I just can’t think of the person’s motive for sending these types of pics around, but they have one.
Smart phones make people dumb. Heartless act. May this man RIP.
OMG – to the person who took the pix and circulated it to whomever – Show some respect to his family and friends – So unkool – You never know – one day this could be you.
im seen lynchings with school kids in the background that were let out of school to see
I have not seen it nor will I attempt to locate it.
It is the way many have become. Be the first to blog, share, post something.
Insensitive and all about ‘me’.
Condolences to his family and friends.
Shalom.
Dusgusting! No excuse for such behaviour! Condolences to the family for your loss.
Disgusting….
Charlie. Soon they will be telling you what time to go to bed at night.
This will happen more and more because it can. The electronic age is here and I am not in favor of this picture being sent around it is in poor taste. The fact is it will get easier to do this in the future ie being able to take a pic with the blink of an eye. RIP Mate…
To be honest the police issuing a warning just exacerbates the problem. I never even heard of this photo until I saw the bernews warning- now like me I am sure everyone and their granny knows and the story has gone east to west. What has been gained…nothing BUT something has been lost
Ps. See everyone at 5p.m cool! Speeding and dipping in and out of traffic… smdh. We’ll see who makes it home to catch the last 15 minutes of absolutely nothing on tv first.
(Sidenote: Rest in Peace to my fellow bike rider! We bike riders gotta do better than this.)
I feel the family or police should press charges against the person or persons that put the photo out and maybe the next time someone decides to take a photo they will think again. Feel so bad for the gentleman’s family.
And what exactly will the police charge them with? Stop being ridiculous.