Following the assassination attempt of Donald Trump, conspiracy theorists have taken to social media to share an outrageous claim about one of the FBI's top agents.
As widely reported, on June 13, Trump narrowly escaped a deadly assassination attempt when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from the roof of a shed.
One shot grazed Trump's ear, causing it to bleed, while Corey Comperatore, who was sitting behind Trump, was fatally shot.
Two other attendees were seriously injured before Crooks was killed by an FBI sniper.
In the fallout of the event, some conspiracy theorists have become convinced that there was a former FBI agent sitting behind Trump when the shooting took place.
Numerous posts on X have been citing fake "reports" mistakenly naming Janeen DiGuiseppi as an attendee seated behind Trump when alleged shooter Thomas Crooks opened fire from a nearby warehouse rooftop.
One X account with 1.3 million followers also posted these rumors, with many comments seeming to believe them.
Footage from the incident shows an unidentified woman calmly pulling out her cellphone, seemingly to capture the unfolding events, as Trump is quickly surrounded by Secret Service agents and ushered off the stage.
This woman’s composed demeanor has led some conspiracy theorists to absurdly suggest she was involved in the crime and "giving the shooter instructions".
The FBI has now categorically denied these allegations in a statement to Times Union.
"The allegations circulating on social media about an FBI executive and the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, are categorically false," the agency declared.
The FBI statement continued: "To be clear, the person depicted is not her, and she did not attend the rally.
"The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly and selflessly to protect others every day, and false rumors and conspiracy theories targeting these dedicated public servants are reprehensible and irresponsible.
"They are also dangerous and often lead to threats against them and their families. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable anyone who makes violent threats against them or any of our colleagues in law enforcement."
Snopes, a popular fact-checking website, also looked into the rumors and came to the conclusion that they were false.
The site reads: "Efforts to identify the woman seen at the rally have been unsuccessful. Despite similarities in age and hair color between DiGuiseppi and the unidentified woman, the latter wore sunglasses and a baseball cap, and her facial features do not match DiGuiseppi's.
"Moreover, DiGuiseppi, who has held various positions due to her extensive career with the FBI, has never worked in Pennsylvania and had no apparent reason to attend the rally either personally or officially.
"The FBI was not involved in organizing the rally, although they took charge of the investigation following the shooting."
DiGuiseppi, an Air Force veteran who joined the FBI in 1999, departed Albany last summer for a promotion as the assistant director of the bureau’s Insider Threat Office in Washington, D.C.
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