Conspiracy falsely claims there was a second shooter at Trump rally in a water tower

Just hours after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, social media users circulated misleading images and accounts to falsely claim there was a second gunman atop a water tower at the rally site.

The conspiracy was one of several which gained traction online after the attack as people filled an information vacuum with unfounded claims and speculation. Secret Service agents shot and killed the shooter. Thomas Matthew Crooksalmost immediately after shooting Trump Shortly after 6pm on Saturday.

There is no evidence of a second shooter. Reports from local law enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service, journalists present at the event, eyewitnesses and hundreds of hours of video on social media show that there was a gunman at the event. which was located on a roof near the tower.

However, the claim spread almost immediately after the shooting, with users sharing blurry videos to falsely claim to show a figure on the tower. One of the first mentions of the water tower posted on X shortly after the shooting suggested the possibility of movement at the top of the water tower. Within an hour, other users were posting photos and videos of the demonstration with captions echoing the claim.

The false claim was picked up by social media users with large followings, who posted references to the water tower. On X, formerly known as Twitter, community notes were added to some of the posts, debunking the claim. One post by X included a clip from a Fox News interview with an eyewitness who referenced the “other shooter” she claimed was at the water tower. The same videos then circulated on other platforms, including Reddit.

CBS News verified an eyewitness video of the demonstration posted on social media, which includes footage showing angles of the water tower in the moments leading up to the shooting and in the moments immediately afterward. The videos do not show a person atop the tower. However, blurry versions of these videos were used to push the false claim, in which a shadow on the tower could be mistaken for a person.

Google Earth images show that the shadows are actually the Pennsylvania American Water logo and a vent on top. Both are visible from the front side that faced spectators at the demonstration.

Experts are warning social media users to be careful about what they view before sharing unverified information and visuals, especially around breaking and important news.

CBS News confirmed that it has outlined Some best practices to keep in mind.