A different approach might be to do the math on how likely it is that someone the friend knows was involved in the incident. Or maybe just call to discuss the possible repercussions and the probable overreactions that the local government will have.

However, for most of my own friends, if I did call them in exactly such a situation, they'd tell me almost exactly what army1987 said to their mother. Unless they happened to be dead or lost a friend to the event or something.