Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Photo of Mark Violets who was identified as the man who opened fire at Donald Trump during his Pennsylvania rally.
Fact
Photograph features an Italian journalist Marco Violi. No evidence to suggest arrest of any Mark Violets in Trump’s assassination attempt.
Several social media users, including verified handles, claimed that one “Mark Violets,” an Antifa member, was arrested for opening fire at a Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Users also shared a photograph of Violets identifying him as the shooter involved in the assassination attempt on the Republican leader and the former US President. Newschecker, however, found the claim to be untrue.
Multiple X and Facebook users alleged “ Mark Violets” was identified as the shooter who opened fire during Trump’s rally.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Also Read: Donald Trump Shot – Viral Image Does Not Show Hole In Republican Candidate’s Blazer Near His Chest
Fact Check/Verification
A Google keyword search for “Donald Trump,” and “shooter” yielded multiple reports identifying one Thomas Matthew Crooks as the gunman who opened fire at the Republican candidate’s Pennsylvania rally. There were no credible reports on the purported involvement of any “Mark Violet” in the case.
In its report on Trump’s assassination attempt, AP stated, “Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old nursing-home employee from suburban Pittsburgh who tried to shoot Trump, was a registered Republican who packed explosives in the vehicle he drove to the campaign rally an hour from his home.”
“Authorities said it was attempted assassination but haven’t determined what motivated Crooks to try to kill Trump. Law enforcement officials were working Sunday to learn more about the young man from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to determine what motivated him,” it further added.
“Thomas Crooks had not been carrying ID, so investigators used DNA and facial recognition technology to identify him, the FBI said,” a BBC article reported, featuring a photograph of the deceased man as pictured in his high school yearbook from 2022.
We compared the photograph of Crooks with the man seen in the viral image, and found them to be different.
Then Who Is The Man Seen In Viral Photo?
A Keyword search for “Mark Violets,” and “Trump” on Google led us to a report by NBC News, dated July 14, 2024. The report elaborated on social media users falsely identifying one “Mark Violets” as the shooter who opened fire in Trump’s rally. “The person in the posts is, in fact, Marco Violi, an Italian YouTuber who vlogs about soccer,” stated the report.
We then looked up “Marco Violi” on Google and found his Instagram profile ‘@marcovioliofficial,” where he identified himself as a journalist.
On comparing the photographs of Violi on his Instagram account with the viral image, we found that the widely circulated photograph in fact shows the same person.
Notably, Violi called out the misinformation in a post, and stated, “I categorically deny that I am involved in this situation. I was woken up in the middle of the night (at 2 am in Italy to be precise) by the numerous notifications I received on Instagram and on X. I am in Italy, I am in Rome and I had no idea what had happened except by watching Sky TG 24 in Italy which I am still following. (translated from Italian via Google)”
Adding, “ The news circulating about me is completely unfounded and is organised by a group of haters who have been ruining my life since 2018, even by stakeouts at my home, photos of my intercom and my front door. Real stalkers. The X accounts that organised all this are LogikSEO and@Moussolinho(I saw that the latter has been deactivated from X).”
Violi also said that he would file a complaint against the X accounts which “invented these false news,” and the newspapers that spread it.
Also Read: Viral Video Of US President Joe Biden Talking About Magical Pistachio Is Actually Deepfake
Conclusion
Hence, the viral claim that one “Mark Violets” has been identified as the gunman who opened fire at Donald Trump’s rally in an assassination attempt is false.
Result: False
Sources
Report By AP, Dated July 15, 2024
Report By BBC, Dated July 15, 2024
Report By NBC News, Dated July 14, 2024
Instagram Profile Of @marcovioliofficial
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
