LVRJ: Body of missing Las Vegas veterinarian found at Lake Mead
The Las Vegas Review-Journal asked EKA Partner Eric Rose for his views on the broader controversy following the discovery of the body of Dr. Shawn Frehner. Eric explained that although the video of Frehner’s interaction with the horse was “unsettling,” many people likely rushed to judgment before authorities could fully investigate. Eric emphasized that Dr. Frehner was quickly “engulfed in a social media firestorm,” with viral posts and activist amplification fueling public condemnation faster than the formal investigative process could unfold. Eric’s comments explained how social media dynamics may have influenced the public perception of Dr. Frehner.
Eric Rose, a partner of the Pasadena, California-based strategic communications firm Englander Knabe & Allen, said that while video of the incident is “unsettling,” many may have rushed to judgment before authorities could thoroughly investigate, leading to Shawn Frehner being “engulfed in a social media firestorm.“
“In the days following a criminal complaint and the release of a disturbing video shared on Facebook, it is clear that Dr. Frehner became the target of intense scrutiny and widespread condemnation,” Rose wrote in an email. “The court of public opinion, fueled by viral posts and amplified by animal rights activists, not surprisingly, moved faster than the formal investigation.”
