Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. Weaponize Iowa School Shooting to Spread Misinformation about LGBTQ+ Community

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. are among the right-wing influencers who have been accused of spreading misinformation about the LGBTQ+ community following a tragic school shooting in Iowa. The shooting took place at Perry High School near Des Moines on January 4th, resulting in the death of an 11-year-old student and injuries to several others.

The shooter, identified as 17-year-old Dylan Butler, was a former student at the high school. He was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and authorities have ruled his death as a suicide. The motive for the attack is still under investigation, with law enforcement examining digital and social media evidence.

In the wake of this tragic event, influential conservative figures, including Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., and the operator of the Libs of TikTok account, spread conspiracy theories and misinformation suggesting that the shooter was LGBTQ+. These individuals insinuated that transgender people pose a higher risk of danger to others, despite no public comments from authorities regarding Butler’s sexuality or gender identity.

One of the claims made by the Libs of TikTok account was that Butler was a “trans genderfluid terrorist.” This post also inaccurately linked several mass shooters to the LGBTQ+ community. The allegations made by Libs of TikTok and its operator, Chaya Raichik, have been either disproven or remain unconfirmed.

Libs of TikTok has faced criticism for its attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, which have escalated in recent years. The account has been blamed for increased threats towards schools and hospitals providing gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth.

Elon Musk, who has a history of attacking the trans community and spreading anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theories online, amplified the Libs of TikTok post by responding with two exclamation marks. He also responded to another right-wing post suggesting that the Iowa shooter was transgender, falsely claiming that such incidents were happening frequently.

Donald Trump Jr. also reposted the tweet from Libs of TikTok, baselessly asking if there is a more violent group of people than radicalized trans activists.

Riley Gaines, a former competitive swimmer who has repeatedly attacked the trans community, joined in spreading misinformation about the danger posed by trans people following the Iowa school shooting. Gaines claimed that trans people and their allies are “lashing out” because they are constantly told by the media and the government that they are victims of genocide. However, there is no solid evidence to support these claims.

Data from the CDC’s Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System and Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that trans people make up about 0.5 percent of the US population, or approximately 1.3 million adults. The Violence Project, which studies mass shootings, reports that 97 percent of mass public shooters are men. Therefore, based on these statistics, trans people would be expected to be involved in about one shooting.

The Gun Violence Archive, which counts mass shootings involving a minimum of four victims, reports that trans people would be expected to have committed at least 16 mass shootings since 2018. However, there have been only three possible cases cited by conservatives.

In conclusion, right-wing influencers like Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., and Libs of TikTok have been accused of weaponizing the Iowa school shooting to spread misinformation about the LGBTQ+ community. These individuals have falsely suggested that the shooter was LGBTQ+ and have insinuated that trans people pose a higher risk of danger to others. However, there is no solid evidence to support these claims, and data shows that trans people make up a small percentage of the population and are not disproportionately involved in mass shootings..