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This page is part of the Museum of Hoaxes' Hoax Photo Archive, a catalog of photo fakery throughout history. Images are categorized by theme, technique of fakery, and time period.
Hoax Museum Archives
The Lackawanna Shooter
Status: Allegedly staged
Technique of Fakery: Staged Scene.
Date and Time Period: Published Sep 20, 2002; (2000-2004)
Themes: Photojournalism
Technique of Fakery: Staged Scene.
Date and Time Period: Published Sep 20, 2002; (2000-2004)
Themes: Photojournalism

The New York Times ran this dramatic photo of a young boy of Arabic descent aiming a toy gun outside an Arabian food store in Lackawanna, New York. The scene was near to where an al-Qaeda sleeper cell had allegedly recently operated. The photo was taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Ed Keating. But rival photographers present at the scene accused Keating of staging the shot, claiming he had arranged the scene “like a fashion shoot.” Keating denied the allegations, but was nevertheless forced to resign from the Times.
References:
What's wrong with this picture? (Nov/Dec 2002). Columbia Journalism Review.
What's wrong with this picture? (Nov/Dec 2002). Columbia Journalism Review.
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