alleged
This is an example of journalese gone mad. Since any person apprehended and/or charged in the commission of a crime is presumed innocent until duly convicted in a court of law, the TV people especially, print mavens to a lesser degree, refer to the "alleged" perpetrators in order to avoid a libel suit, or to avoid having the criminal's lawyers claim at trial that the media unduly influenced the community and hence the juror pool so that the defendant can't get a fair trial. Well and good, but they insist on referring to "alleged burglars", "alleged shooters" etc. even if the perpetrator was caught red-handed, there are 40 eyewitnesses and the whole thing was caught on tape.