Influencer’s ‘Shooter Is Dead’ Post on WHCD Gunman Sparks Backlash as Users Urge ‘Get Your Facts Right’

Influencer Debra Lea was near the Washington Hilton when she saw a report from CNN claiming that the suspected shooter was dead.

She immediately took to her X account to share the update with her followers. Lea, who has around 140,000 followers, posted a selfie in which she was pouting and wrote, “Shooter at WH correspondence dinner. Shooter is dead. Thank you secret service.”

The post quickly went viral, with critics accusing Lea of being insensitive and spreading inaccurate information.

Although Lea later deleted the post after realizing the information was incorrect, social media users remained unforgiving. In a follow-up post, she wrote: “Unclear if shooter is dead or detained. Cops have all of DC on lockdown. Police just pointed guns at a car driving by. Very scary.” She later added, “Shooter isn’t dead! Trump said he’s in custody.”

“The only mistake I made was relying on the reporting from Fake News CNN. I promise you, that will NEVER happen again,” she later said on Instagram.

The alleged gunman, Cole Allen, 31, was apprehended by authorities before he could carry out his plans to assassinate President Donald Trump and his administration officials. One Secret Service agent was shot in the incident and has since been released from the hospital.

About one-in-five Americans — including a significantly higher share of adults under 30 (37%) — say they regularly get news from influencers on social media, according to Pew Research Center.

Political influencers were highly visible during the 2024 elections, covering conventions, interviewing candidates, and even hosting fundraisers.

The Wall Street Journal reported that influencers were present during briefings with Karoline Leavitt, obtaining Pentagon credentials, and attending events surrounding the White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend.

Lea’s social media posts were flooded with hate comments and harsh criticism from the public.

“Why would you post a selfie after someone took a shot at our president?” one X user wrote under the political commentator’s post.

“You posted earlier that he was dead . Get your facts right . Why post the wrong information?” another user commented.

Even as major news organizations and social media accounts circulated similar reports about the gunman, Lea said she felt she became an easy target because she is an influencer.

Lea made it clear that she wouldn’t apologize. “I didn't kill anybody, I didn't hurt anybody,” she said in an interview. “People are always trying to delegitimize my own opinions and my platform. And then when something happens, I’m suddenly held to the highest level of journalistic integrity.”

Lea also acknowledged that she would approach similar situations differently in the future.

“We're in this environment where if you ever slip up at all in any capacity, you get punished for apologizing,” she said.

“This was an incredibly fluid breaking news situation,” a CNN spokesperson said. “As was said on air at the time, that information was not verified and came from Secret Service personnel inside of the ballroom. CNN immediately followed up when that reporting changed - that is responsible journalism.”