Following the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing figure shot at Utah Valley University (UVU), social media has been flooded with misinformation, false claims, and conspiracy theories.
Numerous posts, some with millions of views, suggest that the incident was staged or a hoax. Conspiracy websites like Infowars have also perpetuated these narratives. To address these claims, CBC’s visual investigation unit conducted an analysis using reliable, independent sources to separate truth from fiction.
Claim: Suspicion around Kirk’s attire
Online commentators have pointed out a peculiar detail in the incident: a black mark on Kirk’s upper chest and shoulder that seems to detach and vanish during the shooting. Some users have cast doubt on the authenticity of the event, speculating that it was a pre-placed squib or blood pack, commonly used in Hollywood for simulating gunshot wounds.
However, a closer look at previous videos of Kirk at similar events reveals that he consistently wears what appears to be a magnetic microphone clip or a similar device in that same area. Hence, the black mark on Kirk’s shirt is not unusual but rather a regular feature of his public appearances.
Claim: Mysterious private jet flight
A now-deleted post on X raised questions about a private jet, registered as N888KG, departing from Utah’s Provo Airport shortly after the shooting. The post highlighted the loss of the flight’s transponder signal about 30 minutes later, alleging that it was an illegal action turning off the ADS-B radar. ADS-B radar technology tracks flight positions, accessible through platforms like ADS-B Exchange.
Despite various versions of this claim gaining significant traction, experts have clarified that the signal loss is not suspicious. Flight tracking specialists, such as Steffan Watkins, explained that signal interruptions are common in mountainous regions like Utah and Arizona, where the plane was heading. The lack of radio receivers in certain areas creates reception dead zones for ADS-B data.
Publicly available data on ADS-B Exchange confirms the signal loss during the flight. The jet later landed at Page airport in Arizona.
Claim: Ring placement raises doubts
Several posts have insinuated that the shooting was staged based on a video showing Kirk’s ring seemingly moving from his ring finger to his pinkie finger post-shooting. This led to claims of computer-generated deception and AI manipulation of images.
However, past images of Kirk wearing a similar ring that unclasps indicate that the ring’s movement is not unusual. Analysis reveals that the ring may have become unclasped during the incident, causing the appearance of switching fingers.
Claim: Misidentified shooter in video
Numerous posts circulated online claiming to show the shooter fleeing the UVU campus, amassing millions of views. However, these videos actually depict a scene from a previous shooting
