Why do reporters still say, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the officer who died?"  It's so useless.?

Thoughts, prayers and $2.50 will get you on the bus.

Jimmy C2021-04-03T01:58:45Z

They want to offer words of comfort, and those are the standard ones. 

righteousjohnson2021-04-02T19:00:14Z

It's called being Respectful.  Reporters as a group are not good at doing that, so give them some slack for at least trying.