FACT CHECK: Is A Knife-Wielding Man Going Door To Door Attacking People In Missouri?
A post shared on Facebook claims a knife-wielding man is going door to door attacking people in Missouri.
Verdict: False
There are no credible news reports to suggest a knife-wielding man is going door to door attacking people in Missouri. The Franklin County sheriff said he had no knowledge of such an incident.
Fact Check:
Various posts about a knife-wielding man going door to door attacking people circulated on social media in late July and early August, with different iterations claiming the man is based in Melbourne, Florida, Charleston, South Carolina, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The posts included a photo of the alleged perpetrator, which labeled him as having a British accent. Now, a similar post shared on Facebook claims a knife-wielding man is attacking people in Missouri.
“Watch out for this man, he’s going around door to door in Franklin county, asking for money as he is saying he’s locked out of his house,” reads the post. “Canadian accent also writting details down. House he was claiming was his, wasn’t. If you dont give him the money, he will attack you. He attacked 3 home-alone teens last night with a knife and now wanted by the police for several crimes. If he knocks on your door, please call 911. WARN OTHERS.”
The post features a photo of the supposed suspect, who is wearing a red, black, and grey jacket, tan shorts and dark shoes. (RELATED: Viral Post Warning Citizens In Tennessee Of A Homeless Man Attacking People Is Fake)
The claim is baseless. Check Your Fact searched local news outlets, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KDNL ABC 30, Fox 2, and KSDK, but did not find any credible reports that matched the story shared on Facebook. No mention of such an assailant could be found on the Union Missouri Police Department or Franklin County’s 911 Communications’ social media pages.
Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton told Check Your Fact in an email that he had no knowledge of such an incident occurring.
This is not the first time a fake report about a violent crime has gone viral on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked a viral post that claimed two men in Pottstown, Pennsylvania were pretending to be homeless and then attacking people in the area.
