Man who said he was 'stabbed by a black man for his neo-Nazi haircut' admits he made story up
Joshua Witt faces charges of false reporting after admitting he lied when telling police he had been attacked by a black man
A US man who claimed he had been stabbed by a black man for "looking like a neo-Nazi" has admitted he made up the story after accidentally cutting himself with a knife.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Joshua Witt, from Sheridan, Colarado said: "Soooooooo apparently I look like a neo-Nazi and got stabbed for it."
"Luckily I put my hands up to stop it so he only stabbed my hand... please keep in mind there was no conversation between me and this dude I was literally just getting out of my car."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Witt's "bloody Facebook post quickly went viral," says Gizmodo, with The Guardian adding "conservative newspapers cited the stabbing as an example of violent leftwing activists attacking white people".
Witt initially reported to the police that he had been attacked by a black man in his mid 20s, wearing a green shirt and blue pants, and claimed that the suspect ran off toward a bike path along a nearby river
But Sheridan police chief Mark Campbell said in an interview that officers were immediately suspicious of Witt’s story, as the attack supposedly happened in a very busy car park and police received no other reports of an assault.
"No one else called this in," he said. "No one heard him scream. No one saw any type of altercation. That was the first red flag."
Campbell added that though the Facebook post showed lots of blood, the wound on Witt's hand was actually quite minor.
The police chief also mentioned the fact that Witt's haircut at the time of the alleged attack did not resemble the fade haircut which has come to be associated with white supremacist groups.
The police's initial suspicions were confirmed when footage from CCTV cameras in the area where he alleged he had been attacked showed no-one running away from the scene as he had claimed.
Things got worse for the 26-year-old when the police found footage of Witt buying a knife at a nearby sporting goods shop just minutes before the supposed attack.
Witt has now admitted to police that he lied to officers over the attack, he has been arrested on false reporting charges and faces one year in jail if convicted.
Police added there was no evidence Witt had links to any neo-Nazi or white supremacist groups.
But Gizmodo quips that the moral of the story is clear: "Don’t play with knives, kids. And if you accidentally stab yourself, don’t blame your problems on invisible black people."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why is recasting so difficult?
In The Spotlight Switching much-loved characters can cause confusion – and spark a backlash
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Diamonds could be a brilliant climate solution
Under the radar A girl and the climate's best friend
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 12, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published