Wednesday was shocking.

It was shocking to see perimeters of police, some crouched in sniper positions, surrounding South Campus and Pearce-Ford Tower. It was shocking to hear the emergency broadcast system alert campus to something other than bad weather. It was shocking to answer phone calls from national media outlets looking for answers.

It was shocking, and then it was over.

At about 12:15 p.m. the Herald received its first report of a situation on South Campus. What was first reported as a “shoot-out,” would later be labeled a “fight.” We sent reporters and photographers to the scene and continued to gather information at our office. At 12:27 p.m., we sent out a breaking news e-mail to more than 7,000 online subscribers notifying them of the situation. Western’s official alert came three minutes later in a text message.

Our coverage followed the confusion to PFT. Again, we had reporters and photographers on the scene and a well-organized command post at our office across from Mass Media and Technology Hall. One person was designated to post updates on our Web site. We only posted information from credible sources: university officials, campus, city and state police and emergency responders. Our information was quick and accurate.

Our journalists remained calm. Our journalists handled the situation with care. Our journalists were more reliable than “professional” media. Our journalists did their job, and they did it well.

After the press conference at 4 p.m. the Herald’s editorial board met to determine the following day’s coverage of the incidents. We quickly realized that the story was less about the fight and more about the panic it caused: how authorities responded, how students felt and what actions the university officials took.

A photo of a Bowling Green Police officer kneeling on a student with his gun pointed toward her head commanded the Herald’s front page on Thursday. The woman wasn’t related to the fight and after about 30 minutes of police questioning, she was released.

We chose to run this photo because it accurately illustrated the day’s frantic atmosphere. Again, we realized that the story wasn’t about the fight or the people involved – it was about how people responded to the confusion. We chose a photo that would show people what happened while they were in lockdown, a photo that would communicate the seriousness of the situation even after authorities had determined no shots were fired.

Our photo choice wasn’t sensational. It didn’t hold racial undertones. It was true.

There are a lot of unanswered questions, but just as the Herald is committed to accurate news, we are committed to investigating tough issues.

Look for continuing coverage of Wednesday’s events.

This letter from the editor represents the Herald’s 10-member editorial board.