They do that all the time to humanise them to the public. He had a toothache. Boo fucking hoo. Heshotkilled 10 people.
If it's a black man killed by the cops and he once took a picture with gang members, or flashing a sign, wearing gang colors (never understood why my mum was against me buying blue or red stuff until years later!) or has a mug shot, that's the picture they show the public. To dehumanise them.
"The public is fickle my lord." The sister- in Gladiator.