Italian Football Journalist Marco Violi, Misinterpreted as The Shooter at Trump Rally, Pennsylvania

Former U.S. President Donald Trump miraculously escaped with minor injuries to his ear from a shooting attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on 13^th July. The incident naturally captured headlines around the world, and a lot of attention was drawn to the person who tried this assassination attempt.

Social Media Posts

In this context, hours after the shooting attempt, a photo and name of Italian football commentator Marco Violi is being falsely circulated online, identifying him as the shooter at Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

FB | Archived

FB | Archived

We decided to do a fact-check on this.

Fact Check

The Crescendo investigation confirmed that the individual in the circulated photo is Marco Violi, a football journalist from Italy, not the shooter.

Instagram Clarification: Marco Violi issued a statement on his official Instagram profile denying involvement in the incident. He explained that he was in Rome, Italy, at the time of the shooting and had no connection to the events in Pennsylvania, as seen below. Voli said he would file complaints against the X accounts that spread the fake news targeting him as the shooter.

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A post shared by Marco Violi (@marcovioliofficial)

Archived

Video Evidence: Violi's YouTube channel features a recent video showing the same mirror and painting seen in the background of the viral photo, further corroborating his presence in Italy.

Official Statement from the FBI about the Gunman:

The FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old local young man, as the person who shot at Donald Trump during a campaign rally and shocked the nation. Since Crooks had not been carrying an ID, investigators used DNA and facial recognition technology to identify him, the FBI said. More details can be read here.

Incident That Shocked the World & Disinformation Spread:

On July 13, 2024, during an outdoor campaign rally for former U.S. President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman fired multiple shots, injuring Trump and killing one spectator. Two other individuals were critically injured before the gunman was shot dead by U.S. Secret Service snipers, who sprung to action within seconds of the attack.

In the aftermath of the incident, disinformation spread rapidly on social media, with several posts falsely identifying the shooter as "Mark Violets" and labelled him an Antifa extremist.

Also Read: Viral Image of Smiling Secret Service Agents Escorting Trump is EDITED

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Conclusion:

The photo of Marco Violi has been misused to spread false information regarding the shooter at Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The actual shooter, who was shot dead moments after the assignation attempt, was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks. Violi was in Italy at the time of the incident and has publicly denied any involvement in the attack on former US President Donald Trump.