Updated April 14 at 6:09 p.m.
Students have taken to Facebook to express outrage over a Fox News story reporting that a student’s suicide coincided with President Barack Obama’s campus visit Wednesday. reporting that a students suicide coincided with
Fox News removed the story just before 4 p.m., and the link now goes to a “not found” page.
University spokeswoman Candace Smith said the University reached out to Fox News about the story.
“We contacted Fox News to express our concern that the story drew conclusions that were not accurate,” Smith said. “It was their decision to take the story down, and we believe it was a wise one.”
According to a Fox News employee, who spoke on background because they were not permitted to speak in an official capacity, Fox removed the story due to student and University reaction, even though nothing in the story was factually inaccurate.
The employee, an alumnus of the University, added that there were “several GW alums here who felt that it was the wise decision to remove it.”
The story, which appeared on FoxNews.com’s America’s Election HQ blog, said the student’s death “tragically coincides” with the president’s visit:
George Washington University students in Washington, D.C. learned of a tragic coincidence of timing on their campus Wednesday. As President Obama delivered a speech on deficit reduction in the Jack Morton Auditorium, university officials were learning one of their students had committed suicide in his dorm room across campus.
In response, students formed a “HOLD CHERNENKOFF AND FOX NEWS ACCOUNTABLE” event on Facebook, calling for the blog post’s author, Kelley Chernenkoff, to be fired.
In about 10 hours, the group amassed more than 1,060 members.
This article is disgusting even for FOX news standards. We should all stand together to support our fellow student and his family in making sure that this woman gets fired for this RIDICULOUS article. Spread this to all your friends. Let Chernenkoff and FOX news know that they cannot get away with this deplorable behavior. There is absolutely no reason to mention this tragic event in a political article
Danny Leimberg, the event’s creator, posted contact information for Fox News’ headquarters and implored students to call and complain.
“After reading the article I think it’s ridiculous they had that in the politics section in their page, much less implying the relationship between the two,” Leimberg said. “Members of the GW community should be outraged, and his family shouldn’t have to see something like that on the politics blog.”
Leimberg said he wants to see Chernenkoff and the blog’s editor punished.
“I think there should be consequences for the people who publish it,” Leimberg said. “We just need to stand around the student and his family.”
The original article is reproduced below:
GWU Student’s Suicide Tragically Coincides With Obama Visit
By Kelly Chernenkoff
George Washington University students in Washington, D.C. learned of a tragic coincidence of timing on their campus Wednesday. As President Obama delivered a speech on deficit reduction in the Jack Morton Auditorium, university officials were learning one of their students had committed suicide in his dorm room across campus.
Fox News has learned that the male student may have been a junior at the school and was described as solitary. He rarely left his dorm room, according to a source.
“I am deeply saddened to report that the university has been notified of the death of one of our students,” GW President Steven Knapp said in a message to his students, faculty and staff. “The student was found in his room this afternoon at the City Hall residence hall,” he said.
GWU officials tell Fox that police were notified about the incident around 2pm, which happens to be at the same time that President Obama was speaking. A source tells Fox that the incident may have occurred earlier, noting that police went knocking on the student’s door at 1:30pm. As of this writing, Fox has not been able to obtain reaction from the White House.
“The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the student’s death in coordination with the GW Police Department,” Knapp wrote. “At this time, we have no indication that the death was the result of a criminal act. We will release more information when it becomes available.”
DC police officials tell Fox that the death has, in fact, been ruled a suicide.
Knapp took note of the solemn moment, adding, “On behalf of the entire university community, I would like to express our sorrow and extend my condolences to the student’s family and friends.”
Fox News’ Jodie Curtis contributed to the report.