There are bad takes, and then there’s this.
As a mass shooter armed with a rifle was opening fire inside a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper, CNN’s Erin Burnett and law enforcement analyst John Miller speculated live on-air that the gunman was “possibly white.”
A devastating shooting occurred in New York City, leaving 4 dead, including a police officer.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett stated live on the air that the obviously not white man, quote, was “possibly white.” Embarrassing attempt to politicize this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/3T2dGA08ud
— Armstrong Williams 🇺🇸 (@Arightside) July 29, 2025
The problem? Surveillance images released soon after showed the suspect — who has since been identified but will not be named here — was a dark-complexioned man with a mustache, wearing sunglasses and dark clothes.
Burnett pressed Miller during the coverage:
“People don’t walk around with guns like that. But was his face visible? … Do they have any idea at this point who he is?”
Miller responded:
“They do not know who he is. They know he is a male, possibly white. He’s wearing sunglasses. He appears to have a mustache. And that picture has been distributed to every police officer in New York City.”
Burnett then repeated it — twice — emphasizing “male, possibly white.”
Hours later, Miller even warned about the need for caution in reporting details during such incidents, saying, “We have to be a little bit guarded on specifics.” The irony practically writes itself.
🚨 JUST IN: CNN says the NYC shooter suspect is “POSSIBLY WHITE,” who is on photo and described as Middle Eastern.
You gotta be kidding me.pic.twitter.com/CFTTxwTU6y
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 28, 2025
Social media lit them up.
“CNN anchor Erin Burnett stated live on the air that the obviously not white man, quote, was ‘possibly white.’ Embarrassing attempt to politicize this tragedy,” one user wrote.
Another was more direct:
“@ErinBurnett knows exactly what she’s doing here. Incredible misinformation and irresponsible, purposeful race-baiting. If you don’t know for sure, you don’t say it. Unless, of course, your job is to mislead, stir-up confusion, obfuscation and to bury facts.”
It’s not the first time Burnett has been accused of letting politically loaded statements slide. One month before the 2024 election, she sat quietly as Democratic strategist Aisha Mills unleashed a bizarre rant about Donald Trump wanting to “exterminate” her as a black lesbian — then wrapped it up by praising Mills as a “genuine” voice.
CNN guest: “I’m not going to be lectured by some white man…”
The blatant racism isn’t the most noteworthy part, it’s Erin Burnett refusing to condemn it on her own show.
— Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) October 10, 2024
