Fact Check

Rev. Al Sharpton Murdered -- 2 Suspects in Custody Belong to Terrorist Group?

Reports that the controversial American civil rights activist was gunned down in Chicago are fake news.

Published March 22, 2017

 (a katz / Shutterstock.com)
Image Via a katz / Shutterstock.com
Claim:
The Rev. Al Sharpton was shot to death in Chicago by members of a "domestic terrorist group."

On 17 March 2017, the web site known as The Resistance: America's Last Line of Defense (aka "The Resistance: Twisted News for Conservative Minds") posted an article positing that controversial American civil rights activist Al Sharpton was gunned down in Chicago by members of a "domestic terrorist group":

The city morgue in Chicago is on lockdown after a black male matching Reverand Al Sharpton’s description became the latest victim of gun violence in Chicago. The local police have confirmed that a man was murdered outside of Sharpton’s home and that two men have been apprehended and charged with first-degree murder.

No further information is available other than the fact that the two men in custody are members of a domestic terrorist group. The group hasn’t yet been identified, but since black on black violence in Chicago is so common, it seems likely that this won’t be something liberals will be able to blame on “white privilege.”

There was no truth to this story. The Rev. Al Sharpton is still alive (and contesting the policies of President Donald Trump), and reports of his murder originated with the America's Last Line of Defense fake news web site, whose disclaimer identifies the site's content as satirical:

DISCLAIMER: The Resistance may include information from sources that may or may not be reliable and facts that don’t necessarily exist. All articles should be considered satirical and any and all quotes attributed to actual people complete and total baloney. Pictures that represent actual people should be considered altered and not in any way real.

Sources

Stryker.   "BREAKING: Rev. Al Sharpton Murdered — 2 Suspects in Custody Belong to Terrorist Group."     The Last Line of Defense.   17 March 2017.

Bredderman, Will.   "Al Sharpton Rails Against Donald Trump’s ‘Wicked’ Budget Proposal." Observer.   20 March 2017.

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.