The high-profile assassination of right-wing figure Charlie Kirk has unleashed a wave of misinformation, dragging innocent people into the spotlight and exposing them to threats and abuse.
Two individuals—one in the United States and another in Canada—say they were falsely accused online of being involved in the killing, despite having no connection to the case.
Michaela, a 29-year-old transgender woman based in Washington state, said her life was turned upside down after her photo went viral on platforms such as X and Instagram, wrongly labeling her the shooter.
“I became really scared,” Michaela said. “I’m getting witch-hunted online. Some people want to enact vigilante justice on me.”
She stressed that she was nowhere near Utah when Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University. Evidence from her digital footprint and her roommate’s confirmation support her claim.
Her image became misattributed after being linked to another account that had mentioned Kirk’s presence in Utah. Experts note that such misinformation thrives in moments of national shock, often targeting marginalized groups.
“People on the right wing, obviously they want a shooter, and a trans person fits their narrative,” Michaela observed.
Meanwhile, across the border, Canadian retiree Michael Mallinson, 77, was horrified when his photo was wrongly connected to footage of someone detained by police.
Mallinson said, “I have absolutely nothing to do with this. I was horrified and shocked.” He has since deactivated his accounts and alerted authorities.
The FBI continues its search for the real perpetrator, having released surveillance photos and confirmed the recovery of the suspected murder weapon.
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