A bevy of false claims flooded social media after Wednesday’s fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, 31, was gunned down while speaking at an event in Orem, Utah. Two days later, law enforcement arrested and publicly identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect.
The online reaction followed a well-trodden pattern of conspiracy theories and misinformation, often seen after major breaking news events, when the facts are not yet well-established.
Some of the earliest online misinformation incorrectly identified the shooter, well before officials had released any information about the suspect.
More claims were posted Thursday and Friday, presenting old videos and photos as recent footage of the shooter and erroneously reporting on Robinson's background.
Here's a look at the facts.
This is false. Utah records say Robinson was registered as a voter, but not affiliated with either political party. His voter status is inactive, meaning he did not vote in two regular general elections after receiving a notice from his county clerk.
According to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Robinson's family said he had become “more political in recent years” and had criticized Kirk, mentioning that he was due to appear at an event in Utah and saying “Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.”
Cox said that ammunition found at the scene was engraved with taunting, anti-fascist and meme culture messaging.
A bevy of false claims flooded social media after Wednesday’s fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk, 31, was gunned down while speaking at an event in Orem, Utah. Two days la...