ALEXANDRIA, VA—Recounting how they rushed to the social media platform in a matter of moments, local authorities Wednesday praised Twitter users’ rapid response to the shooting of a Republican congressman and four others. “We would like to acknowledge those Twitter users who, without any hesitation, immediately leaped into action after they saw the first headline about today’s tragedy,” said Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown, adding that they didn’t think twice before assigning blame or fueling speculation, willingly engaging in petty arguments and personal attacks in a situation where any normal person would have just stayed away. “Focused and intent on getting their takes out there, they disregarded all consequences and, as if by instinct, jumped right into the fray, not wasting precious seconds confirming the veracity of their claims or checking the spelling of their statements.” Brown went on to say that this level of dedication should come as no surprise to anyone, as Twitter users go above and beyond like this every single day.

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