False Information Spreads Rapidly Online After Donald Trump Assassination Attempt

False and unverified claims regarding the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump have spread rapidly on social media following the incident on Saturday night.

Within hours of the event, a supposed antifascist activist named Mark Violets was falsely identified as the shooter by numerous accounts on the social network X. This misinformation was widely circulated, including by the prominent account Wall Street Silver, reaching over three million people with its post on the subject.

A photo of Italian sports journalist Marco Violi was incorrectly circulated as the alleged American antifascist activist Mark Violets. Violi, who has been targeted by defamation campaigns since 2018, stated that he is considering legal action against his detractors. He woke up in the middle of the night to a flood of messages he was receiving.

Such situations have become common after shootings as unverified information spreads in the absence of official details.

At the early hours of Sunday morning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the suspect as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania.

Immediately, false information surfaced regarding Crooks’ political allegiance. US media reports indicated that Crooks was a registered Republican but had donated $15 to ActBlue, a political action committee that fundraises for Democratic and left-leaning politicians in 2021.

Conspiracy theories emerged online, suggesting without evidence that the incident was staged, a common occurrence following shootings.

A supporter in the crowd was confirmed by US authorities to have been killed, with two others critically injured. The suspect was also killed by the Secret Service.