Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White Faces Charges in Chattanooga Shootings-Reported as Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White faces discipline or criminal charges for firing his personal weapon at the man who murdered five service members at military facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Truth:
Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White doesn’t face discipline or criminal charges for opening fire at Mohammod Abulazeez, the man who killed five Marines in Chattanooga.
The Navy’s investigation into Abulazeez’s shooting is ongoing, but Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White didn’t face discipline for carrying a personal weapon at a military facility when the rumor went viral, according to a statement from the Navy:
“Stories of Navy personnel being charges with an offense are not true. There is still a long way to go in reviewing the facts of this tragic incident, but at this time we can confirm no service member has been charged with an offense.”
Shortly after the shootings in Chattanooga, reports surfaced that Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White and a slain Marine had opened fire on Abulzeez with personal sidearms, Navy Times reports:
A Navy officer and a Marine fired their sidearms hoping to kill or subdue the gunman who murdered five service members last week in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to multiple military officials familiar with internal reporting on the tragedy.
It remains unclear whether either hit Muhammad Abdulazeez, who was shot and killed on July 16 after he gunned down four Marines and a sailor at the Navy Operational Support Center in Chattanooga. It’s also unclear why they were armed, as it is against Defense Department policy for anyone other than military police or law enforcement to carry weapons on federal property.
A report distributed among senior Navy leaders during the shooting’s aftermath said Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White, the support center’s commanding officer, used his personal firearm to engage Abdulazeez, Navy Times confirmed with four separate sources. A Navy official also confirmed a Washington Post report indicating one of the slain Marines may have been carrying a 9mm Glock and possibly returned fire on the gunman.
Rumors that Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White could face military discipline or criminal charges for carrying an unauthorized weapon quickly lit up the blogosphere.
The blog site Western Journalism first reported that White “may be punished” for carrying a personal weapon at a military facility. The report didn’t make specific claims about charges against White. Rather, it implied that White could technically face discipline.
Then, Alan B. West reported that he had received confirmation that Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White would in fact face charges:
Ladies and gents, resulting from the text message I received yesterday, I can confirm that the United States Navy is bringing charges against Lt. Cmdr Timothy White for illegally discharging a firearm on federal property.
West didn’t cite his source, or explain what charges White would face. The Navy quickly shot down the report with its statement that said there was a “long way to go” in its investigation of the shooting.
Investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Check back for future updates.