Heartbreaking texts from in-progress shootings are going viral — here's why

Immediate on-the-scene reporting from the media following a shooting at a school or other public place is what we’ve come to expect, thanks to our 24/7 news cycle. But there’s another element that’s also become the norm: the posting of harrowing text messages, on social media, from witnesses or even about-to-be victims who are sending desperately terrified messages from the scene of the in-progress crime.