Kobe Bryant in 2014 (Credit: Wikipedia/ Author Keith Allison)

NJ.com apologized for an inappropriate headline about the death of Kobe Bryant.

In a tweet, NJ.com wrote: “We previously published a headline that was not appropriate in light of today’s news. The headline has been updated. We apologize.”

On its website, NJ.com used the following editor’s note: “Editor’s note: The headline on this post has been updated. The original headline was not appropriate in light of today’s news.“

The headline now reads, “Kobe Bryant joins tragic list of athletes and celebrities who died in plane or helicopter crashes.”

iMediaEthics has written to Bobby Olivier, the author of the NJ.com article, and NJ.com to ask what went wrong and what the headline stated, but we haven’t received any responses.