FACT CHECK: Was A Potential Shooter Killed By Police Near The RNC?
A screenshot of a tweet shared on Instagram claims police killed a potential shooter near the 2024 Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Verdict: False
The claim is false. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported police killed a man wielding a knife “just under a mile from the security perimeter for the [RNC].” The man was involved in an altercation with another individual, according to the outlet.
Fact Check:
UFC CEO Dana White introduced 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump ahead of his speech at the 2024 RNC, according to Axios. Trump formally accepted the Republican Party’s nomination and recounted the shooting that occurred at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Politico reported.
The Instagram post, which has garnered over 1,000 likes as of writing, claims police killed a potential shooter near the 2024 RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “BREAKING NEWS: Police just shot a potential shooter near the the [sic] RNC,” the post begins.
“They’re trying to kill Trump, again…,” it continues, referencing the shooting that occurred at Trump’s July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The post originally stems from a July 16 post shared on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
The claim is false. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, five police officers from Ohio shot and killed a man who was wielding a knife amid an altercation with another individual. The incident, which did not involve any Milwaukee police officers, occurred “just under a mile from the security perimeter for the [RNC].”
Police ordered the man to drop the knife, but he did not and “charged at the other individual,” prompting police to open fire, the outlet reported. There is no mention of the incident being related to the shooting that occurred at Trump’s July 13 campaign rally. (RELATED: Did A Grindr Executive Call The RNC The Dating App’s ‘Super Bowl?’)
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. On July 19, USA Today reported the claim was false. Additionally, the Milwaukee Police Department has neither referenced the claim on its website nor its associated social media accounts.
Check Your Fact contacted the Milwaukee Police Department for comment on the claim, and they directed us to a press release about the shooting. The release corroborates the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s reporting.
