Trump Assassination Attempt: False Claims About Shooter's Identity Spreads On X

Early social media posts incorrectly identified the gunman responsible for today's shooting, falsely accusing Mark Violets, a "prominent Antifa activist." The shooter had not been named as of 10 p.m. ET, and their motive remains unclear.

Following high-profile shootings, anonymous social media accounts often exploit the information vacuum. They post false claims to gain engagement and followers, sometimes for jokes or to deceive the media.

False Claims Spread on Social Media

Users on X, Telegram, and niche online spaces claimed that the Butler Police Department had identified the shooter. These posts included a photo of a man in sunglasses and a black hat, alleging it was from a YouTube video where he said "justice was coming." This information was entirely fabricated.

The misinformation spread quickly. Verified accounts on X shared the false claim, including one popular account with 1.3 million followers.

This account later deleted the post without any explanation. Russian propaganda accounts, MAGA supporters, and Proud Boy channels on Telegram also circulated the false claim.

Real Identity of Misidentified Shooter

The person in these posts is actually Marco Violi, an Italian YouTuber who vlogs about soccer. The incorrect identification seemingly started as a joke on X by the account @Moussolinho. This user wrongly pointed to Violi as the shooter and included a photo taken from another user's account that often posted videos of Violi.

The user whose account featured Violi's photos faced backlash and accusations of attempting to assassinate Trump. As a result, this user has since made their account private.

"This is absurd," the user said over DM, declining to reveal their real name. "I had a photo of Marco and some video on my account, so people started thinking that I was this Mark Violets. But it was all fake news."