Once again, the CIAA’s name is dragged into something it had nothing to do with. Early Sunday morning, two men were shot in Charlotte at the Sheraton Hotel at a party. And while the conference had no affiliation with this, its name is being dragged through the mud by the media.
2 Shot Inside Crowded Sheraton Ballroom At CIAA Fan Party http://t.co/p0HerjW2dI
– Crime In Charlotte (@charlottecrime) March 2, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Capt. Todd Lontz said the hotel party “wasn’t a CIAA-sponsored event but it was one of the many party venues.”
Police have not released the names of the victims, or said if they had any connection to Combs or other headliners at the venue.
Police and witnesses said an altercation in the main ballroom escalated. Witnesses said three shots were fired and thousands cleared the ballroom in a matter of minutes, leaving behind shoes, cigarette butts and liquor bottle.”
Having spent the past few days in the arena and at CIAA sponsored events, I can speak from experience that this incident isn’t in the spirit of the conference, its institutions or its alumni. More than likely, the guilty party probably has no affiliation with any of those entities.
Can’t blame that shooting at the Diddy party on the CIAA… But pple will tho
– CHILD of GOD (@NFLLuva) March 2, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Unfortunately, mainstream media doesn’t really care about that. They know that the exploitation of the Middle America’s fear of Black people, particularly Black organizations, will resonate with their target audiences. What they won’t tell you is that only a dozen arrests were made over the weekend in the downtown area.
It’s very unfortunate that this event happened, but it’s even more unfortunate that the CIAA will take the hit for the bad judgement of a few people. The CIAA is nowhere to be found on this flier, but the stench is now undoubtedly attached to it.