<p>Early Thursday afternoon, the Associated Press abandoned skepticism when the leader of a white nationalist group contacted it, claiming, in AP’s words, that “Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz was a member of his group and participated in paramilitary drills in Tallahassee.” Subsequent AP reports downplayed or ignored law enforcement’s assertions that there are “no known ties” between Cruz and the Republic of Florida, as well as ROF leader Jordan Jereb’s bizarre reported walkback. By Friday afternoon, reporters at several medai outlets, including Shawn Musgrave at Politico, declared that Jereb and others had “fooled the media.” thanks to a “coordinated efforts by internet trolls.”</p>
AP Reports, Buries, and Walks Back False Claim of Nikolas Cruz’s White Nationalist Ties
