FACT CHECK: Have White Supremacists Threatened To Attack Walmarts In San Bernardino County?
An image shared on Facebook claims white supremacists threatened to attack Walmart stores in San Bernardino County.
Verdict:
There is no evidence that such a threat was made. A spokesperson for the San Bernadino Sherriff’s Department denied the claim.
Fact Check:
The Instagram image features what appears to be a text warning readers not to go to any Walmart stores in California’s San Bernardino County, citing a “tip” from law enforcement regarding a potential shooting. The text claims the shootings would be perpetrated by white supremacists targeting black and Hispanic people at the stores.
There is no evidence that law enforcement received such a tip. The San Bernardino Police Department has not released any warnings or posted any alert on its social media accounts regarding a potential threat at Walmarts in the county. There is likewise no mention of any credible threat against Walmarts on the FBI’s Los Angeles website or social media accounts.
Check Your Fact found no credible news reports suggesting any law enforcement agency had thwarted a shooting plot in San Bernardino County or that such a threat ever existed. (RELATED: Viral Post Claims People Can Get Monthly Coronavirus Stimulus Checks If They Apply Through A Link)
“This info is being monitored by our Criminal Intelligence Division, as of right now it is unfounded,” said Sue Able, a representative for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, in an email to Check Your Fact.
Check Your Fact reached out to Walmart and the city of San Bernardino for comment and will update this article if responses are provided.