Some right-wingers developed a new conspiracy theory to dismiss the news that two students and two teachers were killed in a Georgia high school shooting Wednesday morning.
Another nine people were hospitalized in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Authorities confirmed that a 14-year-old suspect was taken into custody.
But skeptics are positing that the tragedy is some sort of Democrat-led, election-year plot aimed at boosting Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Notice how whenever the Democrats need a narrative change, a convenient school shooting occurs in a swing state that they control,” one X user wrote. “They are desperate to pull on the masses emotional strings and connive them into supporting this communist over Trump.”
“It’s likely they will resort to any level of cheating, violence, or evil to achieve their ends,” the account added. “It couldn’t be any more blatant. These people are pure evil.”
Echoed another user: “Kamala will push her gun control agenda hard, not a coincidence. These people are EVIL to the core. Time to cast out these demons.”
“School shooting in a swing state right before a presidential election? Imagine my shock,” wrote one person.
Some right-wingers noted the shooting took place less than a week before Harris and Trump are set to square off in their first debate.
“Harris now gets to scream and rant and yell about a school shooting that just happened in a swing state on the debate stage,” conservative influencer Joey Mannarino said. “How fortunate for her campaign. That’s all I’m saying. No more.”
“A school shooting right before the presidential debates next week so the conversation can shift from economic policy to gun control?” mused another influencer.
Adding to the skepticism is the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlanta office’s confirmation that the suspect had been identified last May for posting a school shooting threat and images of guns. The FBI said it interviewed the 13-year-old in question and that he denied making the threat. It added his father said he kept his guns locked up.
That only furthered the theory Harris and the Democrats were behind it.
“The FBI knew of this person, probably wasn’t as important as helping to do some underhanded shit with election this year,” concluded one.
“Whenever there’s a mass shooting, I always suspect the FBI or CIA, especially when the shooting occurs in a closely contested swing state shortly before an election,” someone else similarly concluded.
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