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Politics

Trudeau Demands Fox News Delete False Tweet on Quebec Mosque Shooting

“These tweets by Fox News dishonour the memory of the six victims and their families by spreading misinformation, playing identity politics, and perpetuating fear and division within our communities."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's spokesperson is demanding that Fox News delete or amend a false tweet the news outlet released yesterday regarding the identity of the man who allegedly opened fire into a mosque Sunday evening in Quebec City.

On Monday, police charged Alexandre Bissonnette, a 27-year-old Quebec man who appears to hold right-wing sympathies, with six counts of first degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. He is believed to be the only shooter. Earlier that day, police had said there were two suspects, and a number of media reports identified the second man as Mohamed Khadir, a Muslim man who, it later emerged, was actually helping victims of the shooting and had nothing to do with the attack.

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Well after it was widely reported that Bissonnette was the only suspect, Fox News tweeted: "Suspect in Quebec mosque terror attack was of Moroccan origin, reports show." The tweet wasn't taken down until Tuesday evening. In a statement Fox News said they "regret the error."

"FoxNews.com initially corrected the misreported information with a tweet and an update to the story on Monday," read the statement. "The earlier tweets have now been deleted."

A number of media outlets who had published Khadir's name deleted or amended their reports on Monday.

"These tweets by Fox News dishonour the memory of the six victims and their families by spreading misinformation, playing identity politics, and perpetuating fear and division within our communities," Trudeau communications director Kate Purchase said in a strongly worded missive sent directly to the media outlet.

"If we allow individuals and organizations to succeed by scaring people, we do not actually end up any safer," she continued. "Ramping up fear and closing our borders is not a solution."

Read more at VICE News