Race in descriptions of criminals

On my Gun Watch blog I reproduce almost every day media descriptions of gun-related crimes. Trawl through the archives there and you will find that the race of the criminal is almost always left for the reader to infer rather than being stated directly. The inference generally is that the criminal is black or Hispanic. But note the following sudden and blinding flash of racial frankness:

"Authorities with the Barron County Sheriff's Department say that on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 12:33 p.m., they received a 911 emergency call from Trappers Crossing Bait and Liquor Store, located at 2534 8-1/4 Avenue in the Town of Chetek. According to the call, two white males entered the store. One demanded money from the clerk while displaying a handgun. According to the sheriff's department, the clerk, Tomas Mulrooney of Los Angeles, Calif., removed a loaded shotgun from under the counter and fired one round in the direction of the suspect with the gun. Both suspects immediately fled the store, leaving in a dark green-colored truck. The suspect was not hit or injured by the blast, and no money was taken. The first suspect, the gunman, is described as a white male in his mid-20s with short blond hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be between 6' 1" and 6' 3" in height and weighing approximately 210-230 pounds with a muscular build. The second suspect is described as being in his mid-20s with short blond- or brown-colored hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be between 5' 10" and 6' in height and weighing approximately 220-240 pounds.

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