People Targeted by Misinformation Over Charlie Kirk Shooting Report Harassment and Fear for Their Safety

Misinformation spreads online as search for Kirk’s killer continues

Two individuals falsely identified online as suspects in the fatal shooting of right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk have spoken out, saying they are living in fear due to the viral misinformation targeting them. The incident comes as authorities continue the investigation into the shooting at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

Michaela, a 29-year-old transgender woman who requested only her first name be used for safety reasons, said that she was “really scared” after her image circulated in posts wrongly naming her as the shooter.

“I’m getting witch-hunted online. Some people want to enact vigilante justice on me,” she said. Michaela, who works as a paralegal, lives in Washington state and was in Washington on the day of the shooting. She has only visited Utah once, briefly stopping in Moab while relocating from Texas in May, and is not a student at Utah Valley University.

Screenshots of her bank records and iPhone location history confirm her presence in Washington at the time of the incident. Her roommate also described the online rumors as “insane.”

READ RELATED TOPIC: Understanding the Medical Cause of Charlie Kirk’s Death After Fatal Neck Gunshot https://dailyobserver.ng/understanding-the-medical-cause-of-charlie-kirks-death-after-fatal-neck-gunshot/

Viral Misinformation Targets Transgender Individuals: Experts note that misinformation spreads rapidly following major breaking news events, with transgender people often becoming scapegoats. In Michaela’s case, her profile image was incorrectly linked to Kirk’s shooting after it was indexed in searches related to another X user who posted about Kirk’s visit to Utah Valley University. Michaela does not know this user.

“People on the right wing, obviously they want a shooter, and a trans person fits their narrative,” Michaela said. “It’s pretty surreal to see how quickly it happened.”

The FBI has released photos of a person of interest and confirmed that the presumed murder weapon has been recovered. Two people initially taken into custody were later released. Michaela has publicly clarified on Instagram that she is not involved in the shooting and has contacted the FBI directly. Nevertheless, her image has been widely shared on social media, amplified by accounts promoting Russian disinformation and QAnon conspiracies.

She has received multiple death threats in private messages, often containing explicit language and anti-LGBTQ slurs. “You better watch out because we’re coming for you,” read one such message.

Another Victim of Online False Accusations in Canada: Across the border in Toronto, Canada, 77-year-old retired banker Michael Mallinson experienced similar harassment. His photos were erroneously linked to footage of a man initially apprehended by police. The hoax began with an account impersonating a Nevada news station.

Mallinson learned of the false claims when his daughter urged him to deactivate his social media accounts for safety. “I have absolutely nothing to do with this,” he stated. “I have never been to Utah and had not heard of Kirk before yesterday. I was horrified and shocked.”

He has deactivated his accounts, contacted law enforcement, and informed friends and relatives of the truth. “It’s my image, it’s my name, but it’s not me. I worry about the longer-term ramifications. That stuff stays on social media forever,” Mallinson said.

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