FACT CHECK: Did ABC News Edit An Image Of The Uvalde School Shooter To ‘Make Him Look More White’?

A post shared on Facebook claims ABC News edited a picture of the suspected Uvalde school shooter Salvador Ramos to “make him look more white.”

Verdict: False 

There is no evidence that ABC News used an altered image of the shooter. A spokesperson for the news outlet confirmed the claim is false.

Fact Check:

A gunman shot and killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. The suspected shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was shot and killed by law enforcement during the incident, the outlet reported.

An image shared on Facebook claims ABC News shared an altered version of the shooter to “make him look more white.” The image includes two mug shot-style photos of Ramos side-by-side, one that appears to show the alleged shooter with lightened skin and altered facial features. (RELATED: No, This Image Does Not Show The Uvalde School Shooter Posing With A Transgender Flag)

The claim is inaccurate. ABC News tweeted a news report Tuesday night that included the unedited mug shot of Ramos. The altered version of the photo, in which Ramos appears to have lighter skin, could not be found on the outlet’s website. ABC News confirmed to PolitiFact that it did not use any photoshopped image of the shooter in its coverage of the attack in Uvalde.

Several false claims about the shooting have spread on the internet in the wake of the attack. Check Your Fact recently debunked a viral post that claimed to show Ramos wearing a skirt and posing with a trans flag.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases