The internet has been rife with rumors about the school shooting that left 17 dead in Florida on Feb. 14. We’ve debunked several of them.
School Shooting Spawns Conspiracy Theories
NRA Chief’s Bogus Background Check Claims
In a speech to conservatives, National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre distorted the facts when talking about the federal system for conducting background checks on prospective gun buyers.
No Federal Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children
Q: Did a law go into effect Jan. 30 banning “anyone” from smoking in a car “as long as there are children in the vehicle”?
A: No. There is no federal prohibition, although several state and local governments previously had enacted such bans.
No ‘Crisis Actors’ in Parkland, Florida
Q: Are the students who survived the Florida school shooting really “crisis actors”?
A: No. Conspiracy theories have been spreading online to undercut students advocating stricter gun control.
Made-up Michelle Obama Quote
Q: Did Michelle Obama say that the school shooting in Florida was President Donald Trump’s fault?
A: No. That claim is circulating on dubious websites. The former first lady hasn’t said anything like that publicly.
Trump’s Misguided Comparison
President Donald Trump made an apples-to-oranges comparison to suggest that his predecessor and Democrats have changed their tune on election rigging.
Sanders Uses Stale Gun Sales Stat
Results of a national survey published in 2017 show that 13 percent of U.S. gun owners who purchased a firearm in the past two years did so without a background check. Sen. Bernie Sanders was wrong when he said recently that the figure was three times as high.
Florida Shooter Not Registered Dem
Q: Is the Florida school shooter a registered Democrat?
A: No. Nikolas Cruz isn’t even registered to vote.
In His Own Words: Trump on Russian Meddling
In a tweet about Russia’s interference in the 2016 president campaign, President Donald Trump falsely claimed that he “never said Russia did not meddle in the election.”
Spinning the Russian Indictment
Contrary to spin from White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah, the indictments handed down last week against 13 Russians for meddling in U.S. elections show they clearly supported one presidential candidate in the 2016 general election. That candidate was Donald Trump.