As NewsBusters previously reported, CNN's Piers Morgan repeatedly claimed Monday that the alleged Washington, D.C., Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis brought an AR-15 into the facility. Morgan made such assertions despite reports that this might not have been the case.
On Tuesday, CNN.com reported that not only didn't Alexis bring an AR-15 with him, that type of rifle might not have been involved in the massacre at all:
[F]ederal law enforcement sources told CNN Tuesday that authorities have recovered three weapons from the scene of the mass shooting, including one -- a shotgun -- that investigators believe Alexis brought in to the compound. The other two weapons, which sources say were handguns, may have been taken from guards at the Navy complex.
The sources, who have detailed knowledge of the investigation, cautioned that initial information that an AR-15 was used in the shootings may have been incorrect. It is believed that Alexis had rented an AR-15, but returned it before Monday morning's shootings. Authorities are still investigating precisely how many weapons Alexis had access to and when.
This is in stark contrast to what Morgan repeatedly said Monday despite reports from numerous sources disputing Alexis had an AR-15 when he entered the Yard:
PIERS MORGAN: Law enforcement says he was armed with an AR-15, another rifle, and a semi-automatic Glock. They believed he used the AR-15 for most if not all of the shooting. That gun was legally purchased. [...]
This man appears to have got inside with his own identity. He had clearance to do so. But he was carrying an AR-15 assault rifle, another rifle, and a handgun.
As you can see, Morgan wasn't concerned with presenting facts to his audience Monday.
In his zeal to once again blame all that's wrong in our society on guns - in particular, AR-15s! - CNN's resident anti-Second Amendment advocate repeated unsubstantiated assessments concerning this matter to further his own agenda.
Now that his own "news" organization is reporting information that refutes his claims, will Morgan admit his error on air Tuesday and apologize to his audience for the lack of journalistic integrity he displayed the previous evening?
Stay tuned.
