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In the wake of the shooting that claimed the life of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and subsequent manhunt and arrest of the suspect at McDonald’s, the internet has been abuzz with a rumor that Burger King had posted a message of support for the shooter, Luigi Mangione.
The post, which read “We Don’t Snitch,” was widely shared on social media, and chastised McDonald’s for “snitching” on the suspect.
The only problem is that it was later revealed to be a hoax.
As the massive manhunt persisted, with law enforcement agencies across the country searching for Mangione, a McDonald’s customer named, Larry (last name withheld) tipped off authorities about Mangione’s whereabouts.
He allegedly saw Mangione at the restaurant located in Altoona, Pa and recognized him from news reports. He informed staff and they called law enforcement.
In the days following the shooting, a fake meme post on X was attributed to Burger King began circulating online. The post, which read “We Don’t Snitch,” was interpreted by many as a show of support for Mangione. The post quickly went viral, sparking a mixed response of outrage, support and condemnation from social media users.
Burger King quickly denied any involvement in the post, stating that it was a fake. The company condemned the violence and expressed its condolences to the family of the victim.
The “We Don’t Snitch” hoax came amid a long-standing rivalry between McDonald’s and Burger King. The two fast-food chains have been competing for market share for decades, often engaging in playful marketing campaigns that poke fun at each
In the wake of the shooting, the rivalry took on a more serious tone. Some social media users accused McDonald’s of exploiting the situation by using the tip from their employee to gain positive publicity. Others defended the employee, arguing that they had done the right thing by alerting authorities.
The “We Don’t Snitch” hoax is a reminder of the dangers of misinformation in the age of social media and to not believe everything you read indiscriminately.
