However, just as in those incidents, this provides a rich opportunity for others to spread hearsay, conjecture and misinformation.
These patterns of half- or mistruths have become something of a trend in the aftermath of mass shootings, with online detectives attempting to piece together character profiles and, in some cases, manipulate or shape the narrative for political means.
As Illinois grieves from Monday’s tragedy, photos quickly spread suggesting that suspect Crimo was a Donald Trump or “MAGA” supporter, referencing photos which appear to show him at pro-Trump rallies and sporting Trump memorabilia.
These images would support the idea that Crimo sympathized with the former president and the political movements surrounding him. That said, there is no other verifiable information beyond these photos and videos that explain either the extent or intent of his admiration.
Conversely, others have suggested he had left-leaning sympathies. A series of photos were published which included references to the left-wing Antifa cause, comparing black riot gear Crimo was said to have posed with and the attire used by some Antifa supporters.
Other Twitter users claimed they had found Crimo’s Instagram account with posts containing the Antifa flag. However, these Instagram accounts haven’t been verified as authentic; searching Crimo’s name on Instagram also shows what appears to be a number of copycat or fraudulent accounts set up following the shooting.
Conspiracy theorist subreddits also saw a flurry of posts speculating wildly about his purported ‘antifa’ leanings, including posts with outright manipulation that involves bundling together several unrelated, out-of-context, or debunked images to imply a connection.
Geeezus. Stop posting fake shit. Here’s the original. Posted 8 years ago. Not Bobby crimo. He would have been 14. You all fall for ANYTHING. pic.twitter.com/7nW6fPFWd5
— 💙Progress NOW 💪🏿💪🏾💪🏽💪🏼💙 (@INeed11kVotes) July 5, 2022
In any case, the information that we have about Crimo is limited. Although Crimo appears to have attended Trump rallies and may have made the effort to see the president in convoy, we still can’t yet be certain about his motivation for doing so.
Nor can we state for certain if his political leanings (whatever they may transpire to be) impacted his decision. While it does appear that Crimo may have been supportive of Trump at some point, we don’t know what the extent or authenticity of his support was.
Attempts to paint mass shooters against political sympathies without sufficient evidence, particularly so quickly after they have committed their crimes, represent a dangerous practice that may fuel misinformation.
https://www.newsweek.com/bobby-crimo-antifa-pro-trump-claimswhat-we-do-know-what-we-dont-1721743