UF student wins 2024 FOI Award for reporting on chaotic campus stampede

The Student Press Law Center and the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project are proud to honor University of Florida student journalist Loren Miranda with the 2024 Student Freedom of Information Award.

Miranda, a reporter with the Fresh Take Florida student-driven news service operated by the UF College of Journalism and Communications, used police reports and body camera footage to deconstruct what happened when a panicked stampede left five injured at a campus vigil for Israelis killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. 

In addition to piecing together law enforcement’s response to the chaotic events on campus, her reporting exclusively uncovered that police had been investigating a bomb threat earlier that day but failed to warn vigil organizers.

“Miranda’s rapid-response investigation played a critical role in explaining a chaotic event on campus and uncovered a breakdown in communication between law enforcement agencies that could have impacted the lives of everyone in the surrounding area,” SPLC Executive Director Gary Green said. “When the university administration refused to release camera footage from the area, citing an exemption in Florida’s public records laws, she found another way. Her persistence and determination brought to light a story that reverberated across the state of Florida and serves as a shining example of the power of student journalism.”  

The honor was announced Nov. 2 at the Fall National College Media Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Hundreds of students were attending the vigil on Oct. 9, 2023, when mass panic spread suddenly and attendees fled in every direction. Some said they thought they heard gunshots. Police later identified a woman in the crowd who had fainted, leading those nearby to shout for someone to call 911. Officials believe those shouts were misunderstood and triggered the stampede.

Miranda quickly set out to deconstruct what happened that night. Through public records requests, she obtained 16 gigabytes of campus police bodycam footage, allowing her to compare the views of 11 officers and their patrol cruisers’ dashboard cameras and to build a detailed chronology. She also obtained redacted incident reports and interviewed witnesses and experts to put it all into perspective.

The result was a dramatic, 3,300-word article on what students experienced and how police responded. 

Miranda’s reporting also raised serious questions about the lack of coordination between different agencies about a threat of a suicide bomb they were investigating earlier that day, and whether police had the responsibility to warn administrators and students about the threat.

“Receiving this award is a profound honor, especially for a project close to my heart,” Miranda said. “The accessibility provided by Florida’s Sunshine Laws is invaluable. I would like to thank Professor Ted Bridis and every mentor I’ve had at the University of Florida, whose guidance has profoundly shaped my journey as a journalist. I am excited to continue using public records to serve the public good, while always focusing on the human stories behind them.”

About the Award

The Student Freedom of Information Award recognizes a student journalist or team of journalists for outstanding and tenacious use of public records in reporting that promotes transparency and brings important issues to light in their school or community. SPLC presents the honor in partnership with the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida, which provides a $2,000 prize to the winner.

This year’s winner was selected from a competitive group of nominations by an advisory committee of experts on public records, including Barbara A. Petersen, executive director of the Florida Center for Government Accountability; Gunita Singh, staff attorney at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; and Samantha Sunne, interim editor at MuckRock. 

The Brechner FOI Project played no role in the selection process, nor did Green, who previously worked with students at Fresh Take Florida.

The Student Press Law Center (splc.org) is a nonpartisan nonprofit that promotes, supports and defends the First Amendment and free press rights of student journalists. Operating since 1974, SPLC provides information, training and legal assistance at no charge to high school and college student journalists and the educators who work with them. SPLC also supports the grassroots, student-led New Voices movement, which seeks to protect student press freedom through state laws. Learn more about our impact.

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