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A number of conspiracy theories related to the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have been proposed by lay persons on the Internet. Some of these theories question the circumstances of the shooting, especially the identification of Adam Lanza as the sole perpetrator of the shooting. Others have suggested the shooting was orchestrated by government officials for political reasons, similar to some 9/11 conspiracy theories.
US government involvement
Some conspiracy theories have alleged that the shooting was a false flag operation staged by the United States government. According to these theories, the attack was intended to allow for the passage of strict gun control laws, or to otherwise persecute gun owners and survivalists. Individuals who have expressed such views include rapper Gunplay, who suggested on Twitter that the attack was staged by the government as a pretext for the confiscation of guns, and radio host Alex Jones.
Gene Rosen, a Newtown resident who sheltered six Sandy Hook students and a bus driver in his home during the shooting, has been subject to harassment online alleging he was complicit in a government coverup.
James Tracy, a professor at Florida Atlantic University who teaches a course on conspiracy theories, has suggested the shooting either did not actually occur or occurred very differently than accounted in mainstream reports, claiming political motives for the supposed coverup. His allegations were strongly criticized by Patricia Llodra, a Newtown selectwoman. While Tracy has since refuted some his suggestions, conceding that real deaths occurred in the shooting, other sources have continued to claim that the entire event was a hoax.
Connection to the Libor scandal
Others conspiracy theories have focused on the fact that Adam Lanza's father was an executive with GE Energy Financial Services. According to the theories, Peter Lanza was due to testify before the Senate Banking Committee with information about the Libor scandal. No such hearings were scheduled. Similar claims had been made about the father of James Eagan Holmes, the suspected perpetrator of the 2012 Aurora shooting.
Israeli involvement
An opinion article on Press TV, an Iranian state media network, attributed the shooting to "Israeli death squads." The author speculated that the attacks were an act of "revenge" for the perceived cooling of Israel–United States relations under President Barack Obama, especially as a response to Obama's decision to nominate former senator Chuck Hagel, a perceived critic of Israel, for the position of United States Secretary of Defense. The story, which relied on the testimony of an American politician associated with Neo-Nazism, was widely criticized in American media as Iranian propaganda. James H. Fetzer, an American conspiracy theorist, agreed with the report, arguing that the attacks bore resemblance to Israeli military operations.
Several other conspiracy theories have suggested Israeli or Jewish involvement. These theories have been called anti-semitic.
Additional conspirators
Ben Swann, a Cincinnati news anchor, has suggested on his personal YouTube channel that Adam Lanza was accompanied by another shooter; he has made similar claims about the Aurora shooting and the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting from earlier in 2012. Other theories have posited as many as four shooters were present. Some such reports may have been influenced by early reporting of the events.
See also
References
- McCarson, Matt (14 December 2012). "Newtown Connecticut Elementary Shooting Is a Staged False Flag Against Gun Owners and Preppers". InfoSalvo.com. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ Bennett, Dashiell (18 December 2012). "Newtown Conspiracy Theories, Debunked". The Atlantic. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ Moynihan, Michael (27 December 2012). "Newtown Conspiracy Theories: Obama, Iran, and Other Culprits". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Seitz-Wald, Alex (15 January 2013). "This man helped save six children, is now getting harassed for it". Salon. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Newtown official furious after Florida professor makes outrageous conspiracy claims saying that Sandy Hook shooting may not have happened". Daily Mail. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Conspiracy theory professor who said Sandy Hook tragedy never happened NOW concedes some 'people undoubtedly died'". Daily Mail. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Aravosis, John (15 January 2013). "Sandy Hook truthers claim the Newtown massacre never happened". Americablog. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Pearce, Matt (31 December 2012). "Body of Connecticut shooter Adam Lanza quietly claimed by his father". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Sarlin, Benjy (17 December 2012). "Newtown Conspiracy Hoax Spreads Fast Across Fringe". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Duff, Gordon (18 December 2012). "Israeli death squads involved in Sandy Hook bloodbath: Intelligence analyst". Press TV. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Fisher, Max (18 December 2012). "Iran's state-run news network blames 'Israeli death squads' for Sandy Hook shooting". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Seitz-Wald, Alex (14 January 2013). "Sandy Hook truther-reporter?". Salon. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Conspiracy theorists claim Sandy Hook tragedy is elaborate government hoax". The Vancouver Sun. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Freund, George (18 December 2012). "4th Shooter Discovered, Two Not One in Woods Behind Sandy Hook Element". Conspiracy Cafe. Retrieved 15 January 2013.