Retracted

AP and CNN Fall for Fake San Bernardino 'Witness'

The AP published, and CNN aired, an account from a supposed survivor of the San Bernardino attack, including a claim tying the shooter to the GamerGate controversy.

First reported Dec 3, 2015 · Associated Press, CNN, The New York Times (AP copy)

Screenshot of the original report as published — Screenshot of the report as published: nytimes.com (archived copy, Wayback Machine). Tap to open the source.

Who it helped: Neither party

An unverified eyewitness hoax with no partisan direction.

What was reported

The AP published, and CNN aired, an account from a supposed survivor of the San Bernardino attack, including a claim tying the shooter to the GamerGate controversy.

What actually happened

The person later posted that the account was a hoax. The AP withdrew the story and reissued it without her account, a correction that also appeared on the copy hosted by the New York Times; CNN's Anderson Cooper had interviewed her on air.

The proof

The AP's correction removed the section after the source admitted the anecdote was a hoax.

The receipt. Copy this and paste it anywhere:

AP and CNN Fall for Fake San Bernardino 'Witness' — Retracted. The AP's correction removed the section after the source admitted the anecdote was a hoax. Full file: https://www.thepropagandafiles.com/case/ap-cnn-fake-san-bernardino-witness/

Original reporting

AP via New York Times: stories of those who survived the California shooting (corrected)http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/12/03/us/ap-us-california-shootings-the-survivors.html

Corrections, findings & records

Mediaite: NY Times, CNN fall for fake eyewitnesshttp://www.mediaite.com/online/ny-times-cnn-fall-for-fake-eyewitness-blaming-san-bernardino-on-gamergate/
Steve Buttry: the case of 'Marie Christmas' and verifying eyewitnesseshttps://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2015/12/03/the-case-of-marie-christmas-verifying-eyewitnesses-isnt-simple-or-polite/
iMediaEthics: AP corrects after being duped by fake witnesshttps://www.imediaethics.org/associated-press-corrects-duped-by-fake-san-bernardino-witness-who-linked-shootings-to-gamergate/

Archived copies

Stories get edited after publication. These open the Internet Archive's earliest saved copy of each original.

Archived copy: AP via New York Times: stories of those who survived the California shooting (corrected)https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/12/03/us/ap-us-california-shootings-the-survivors.html