FACT CHECK: Have US Marines Confirmed That Animal Mutilations Are Occurring In Springfield, Ohio?
A post shared on Facebook claims U.S. Marines have purportedly confirmed animal mutilations are occurring in Springfield, Ohio.
Verdict: False
The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 16 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.”
Fact Check:
Former President Donald Trump is set to visit Springfield, Ohio “soon,” according to The Independent, citing NBC News. During a recent presidential debate hosted by ABC News, Trump repeated claims that Haitian immigrants in the Ohio town are purportedly eating animals, the outlet reported.
The Facebook post claims U.S. Marines have purportedly confirmed animal mutilations are occurring in Springfield, Ohio. The post does not provide a source to support its claim.
The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 16 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” A “Disclaimer” included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates its content is not meant to be taken literally. “Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice [of] legal counsel,” the disclaimer reads.
According to the Sept. 16 article, U.S. Marines in Springfield, Ohio purportedly witnessed Haitian migrants killing and cooking a goose as part of a “bloodletting ritual.” The Marines supposedly reported the incident to the Clark County Sheriff Department, who accused them of making a “prank call” and threatened to cite them for trespassing. The Marines also supposedly called 911 and local police claimed they’d received daily calls about “missing pets,” which their deputies said is not a “priority,” the same article claims.
In addition, the article is a follow-up piece to a Sept. 13 article published by the site that claimed Marines had purportedly been deployed to Springfield to protect pets. Check Your Fact also previously debunked that claim.
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the claim referenced on the U.S. Marine Corps website or its verified social media accounts. In addition, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. (RELATED: Claim That Alvin Bragg Was Executed At Guantanamo Bay Stems From Satire Site)
Claims that Haitian immigrants are eating animals in Springfield, Ohio circulated online following comments made by a local resident during a recent city commission meeting.
Check Your Fact has contacted the U.S. Marine Corps for comment.