Los Angeles Police Department apologizes for false report on Tom Petty death

We in the media have been repeatedly advised not to report a death until it's confirmed.

It's drilled into our heads in journalism school and also by our elders when we start out as cub reporters.

It's too bad this doesn't appear to be the case at the Los Angeles Police Department.

The LAPD is looking foolish around the world after it was cited as the source of Tom Petty's death before rigor mortis had set in.

Then the department went on Twitter to say this information was "inadvertently provided to some media".

Then came the apology for any "inconvenience" caused by the release of this false information.

https://twitter.com/LAPDHQ/status/914956939443920897

https://twitter.com/LAPDHQ/status/914957071895764992

It seems that Petty is clinging to life, even though he's been pulled off life support after going into cardiac arrest.

You can read more about the Tom Petty story here.