Sheriff John Hanlin, who is leading the investigation into the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon where at least 10 people were killed, had previously shared a widely debunked Sandy Hook conspiracy video in addition to multiple anti-gun regulation posts on Facebook. All of which Hanlin apparently began deleting less than an hour ago.
In the since-deleted post, which refers to a video positing that the parents seen grieving in the wake of Sandy Hook were actually hired “crisis actors,” Hanlin wrote:
This makes me wonder who we can trust anymore... Watch, listen, and keep an open mind.
The video also makes the claim that the Sandy Hook shooting was in fact a government false flag operation, with the media assisting in obscuring what “actually” happened.
Although Hanlin has since either deleted or set his posts to private, we were able to get screenshots of much of the Sherriff’s pro-gun propaganda before he began cleaning house.
For instance, public Facebook shares also included a story titled “COLUMBINE STUDENT’S FATHER 12 YEARS LATER!!” The post describes a speech Darrell Scot, the father of one of the victims of the Columbine High School shootings, gave at a small House subcommittee meeting (not at a special session of Congress as the post claims). Most notably, the post seems to attribute the Columbine massacre to a lack of prayer in school while simultaneous discouraging calls for stricter gun control:
And when something as terrible as Columbine’s tragedy occurs—politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.
To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA — I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter’s death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!
This in addition to considerable amounts of pro-gun propaganda, such as the this post likening gun-related deaths to those killed in car accidents:
Or this post calling for less gun regulation in general, with the apparent implication that it’s what our founding fathers would have intended:
And this Tea Party photo drawing comparisons between those calling for stricter gun control to notorious dictators (in addition to President Obama):
Although he’s now apparently covering his tracks on social media, Hanlin hasn’t shied away from publicly voicing his second amendment support in the past. In the month after the Newton shooting, Hanlin penned a letter to Vice President Joe Biden, in which he wrote:
[The first purpose of this letter is] to make a formal request that you NOT tamper with or amend the 2nd Amendment. Gun control is NOT the answer to preventing heinous crimes like school shootings. Any actions against, or in disregard to our U.S. Constitution and 2nd Amendment rights by the current administration would be irresponsible and an indisputable insult to the American people.
The second purpose of this letter is to make notification that any federal regulation enacted by Congress or by executive order of the President offending the Constitutional rights of my citizens shall not be enforced by me or by my deputies, nor will I permit the enforcement of any constitutional regulations or orders by federal offices within the borders of Douglas County, Oregon.
[h/t Talking Points Memo]
Contact the author at ashley@gawker.com.