Hurricane Harvey made landfall four days ago, but the bad tweets are just starting to really roll in. While there have been some tremendously terrible takes on the cataclysmic storm—who has takes on a storm to even begin with?—it would be hard to top the actions today of ABC chief national correspondent Tom Llamas.
Here was his (since deleted) tweet, as well as the preceding one.
#Breaking We're witnessing looting right now at a large supermarket in the NE part of Houston & police have just discovered a body nearby
— Tom Llamas (@LlamasNBC) August 29, 2017
People did not like what they perceived as a reporter narcing on people stealing food in the middle of the worst national disaster the nation has seen in at least a decade.
Fucking Tim Alpaca over here looking the most smug in his avatar https://t.co/hv1C0LKSLN
— geoffrey gauchet (@animatedGeoff) August 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/_chloi/status/902588469402144768
https://twitter.com/dickbutt_247/status/902597888873607168
Looting a supermarket? Seriously? Not – flood ravaged citizens desperate for food forced to break into groceries to survive. #HarveyFlood https://t.co/xuQYlaO1c3
— Ann Bibby (@anniegirl1138) August 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/hvnlydaze/status/902598076254355456
Snitching on people trying to survive https://t.co/51On9rb6ys
— emotional support camel (@doritoeubanks) August 29, 2017
Some thought he was even hampering relief efforts by directing police to petty larceny while others were possibly in need of rescuing.
@TomLlamasABC Please stop pulling first responders away from life-saving rescue duties to babysit this penny-ante garbage. https://t.co/VDatO37uWL
— Capt’n Arrr (@captnarrr) August 29, 2017
People also noted that any food left in a grocery store would likely have spoiled—or been unsellable by the time any store reopened—and would be much better served feeding people instead of going to waste.
Better that food be destroyed than people who need it use it *shudder* without paying for it! https://t.co/VqExxEFW1O
— SPRING time! (@sonofether) August 29, 2017
Tom: I prevented homeless #HurricaneHarvey victims from eating
— ҲƲƝƊƲƦƛ ™ (@Xundura) August 29, 2017
Bob: Great job Ins co will thank you! Whats next?
Tom: Killing kittens
Bob:😶 https://t.co/flkUuWROqO
There was also another weird moment where another journalist was… proud of him for doing it?
https://twitter.com/twitersgoodboy/status/902579678141087744
Because, in the end, this is sort of what Llamas’ tweet was the equivalent of.
There's a massive fire in the office building next to mine. People who are evacuating are jaywalking. Just called the police to report it.
— Clue Heywood (@ClueHeywood) August 29, 2017
Llamas attempt to clear it up by … not helping?
Let me clear this up–we were w/police who had discovered a dead body & mentioned we saw ppl w/faces covered going into a supermarket nearby pic.twitter.com/bfM5WCCO1e
— Tom Llamas (@LlamasNBC) August 29, 2017
yeah, I think we all understood https://t.co/hyPop0c4iE
— Scafe says wear a gd mask (@erinscafe) August 29, 2017
There was truly only one piece of correct advice.
https://twitter.com/dubsteppenwolf/status/902602449839644672
Well, maybe don’t.