Newsmax host Greg Kelly has come under scrutiny after airing a mugshot of an unrelated individual, falsely claiming it to be that of a mass shooter who killed eight people at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas last week.
The next day, a representative from Newsmax expressed "regret" over the error and announced a correction would be broadcast later in the evening but said “numerous outlets ran an incorrect photo due to the Dallas County Sherriff’s office having a mugshot with someone by the same name.”
Despite the already established fact the widely circulated mugshot was incorrectly linked to the shooter, Kelly, echoed these unfounded theories during his Monday night broadcast.
The image, in reality, belonged to a 36-year-old individual with a prior arrest in Dallas County, Texas, unrelated to the tragic event. Law enforcement authorities definitively confirmed the actual shooter had no criminal record on file.
You can hear what Kelly said in the video below.
\u201cNewsmax, which last night ran the mugshot of a different person entirely while identifying Allen shooter Mauricio Garcia, is still doing everything possible today to dismiss the gunman's reported neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683654249
Kelly said:
“We got to clear up something from last night. At this time last night, we showed a picture of what we thought was the guy involved in the shooting in Allen, Texas."
"Now a lot of media organizations showed this picture; turned out to not be the guy. So we’re sorry about that.”
“And by the way, when a mistake is made here on this show, we admit it, we own it, we do it right at the top of the show. Not at the bottom. Not in the last 15 seconds."
“And now, I’d like an apology from the mainstream media for all those awful things they said about those guys on horseback. the border patrol, right? Remember that?"
"Remember that?! Remember all the unfair things? Yeah, let's have a let's have a few apologies for that. And a million other things.”
In the aftermath of the shooting disturbing revelations emerged regarding the shooter's online history, revealing his association with neo-Nazism and White supremacy. He was found to have tattoos of swastikas and Nazi SS bolts, along with a patch displaying the extremist slogan "right wing death squad."
Influential figures within the MAGA community brushed aside the substantial evidence indicating the shooter's deeply entrenched far-right ideologies as nothing more than a "psyop."
Exploiting the Hispanic heritage of the assailant, right-wing media outlets disseminated a misleading photograph of an unrelated individual with the same name. These outlets alleged that the mainstream press had concocted a narrative aimed at vilifying supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Kelly and the network have been highly criticized.
\u201cAlways an agenda, never the actual facts.\n\nNewsmax \u2018Regrets\u2019 Airing Mugshot of Completely Wrong Person It Claimed Was Texas Gunman https://t.co/zank0sWVzS via @YahooNews\u201d— Beachy Piers \u270a\ud83c\udffd (on Mastadon @Beachy) (@Beachy Piers \u270a\ud83c\udffd (on Mastadon @Beachy)) 1683673529
\u201c@justinbaragona Some big, high powered litigation firm needs to find that young man & join forces, STAT.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683647340
\u201c@justinbaragona @MattGertz One result of the a Fox fallout means even 2nd/3rd tier right outlets have to be accountable publicly for their inaccurate reporting.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683647340
\u201c@justinbaragona The only news orgs who posted the wrong pic were Newsmax and KAKE a local station in Kansas. I can\u2019t believe how sloppy this was. The guy in the mugshot has tattoos on left neck, the bloodied shooter in pics had no neck tattoos. Birthdates didn\u2019t match and no source listed.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683647340
\u201cTelling the truth is not part of their business. \n\nNewsmax \u2018Regrets\u2019 Airing Mugshot of Completely Wrong Person It Claimed Was Texas Gunman https://t.co/7ySBA3Ffcx via @Yahoo\u201d— floodwater (@floodwater) 1683667089
\u201c@justinbaragona And they claim to be a new organization\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683647340
\u201c@justinbaragona Their lawyers reminded them they're about to get hosed by Dominion/Smartantic and they can't afford another lawsuit.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683647340
\u201c@justinbaragona They desperately want to be Fox News.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1683647340
Kelly's snide remarks and deflection undermined the gravity of the situation. The dissemination of incorrect information through the airing of the incorrect mugshot perpetuated confusion and hindered the public's understanding of the shooter's true identity and motivations.
Maintaining accuracy and accountability is paramount for media organizations in preserving public trust. When mistakes occur, it is incumbent upon news outlets to promptly correct them and ensure accurate information is disseminated.
The role of media in shaping public opinion necessitates adherence to the highest standards of journalism.
Newsmax and its hosts—known for spreading countlesss conspiracy theories about similar events—to say nothing of the 2020 general election—believe they are above scrutiny.
