PARKLAND, Fla. – A white nationalist appears to have lied to The Associated Press and other news organizations when he claimed that Florida school-shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz was a member of his obscure group.
Law enforcement officials said they didn't have any evidence to support the claim that Republic of Florida leader Jordan Jereb made in interviews with several news organizations.
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Jereb told The Associated Press on Thursday that Cruz had participated in paramilitary drills in Tallahassee, where his group is based.
The Anti-Defamation League also said it spoke with Jereb, who told it that Cruz was associated with his group.
Jereb later backed away from his claims. Someone posting under Jereb's name on Gab, a social media site popular with far-right extremists, complained about getting criticized over a "prank."
Nikolas Cruz is accused of killing 17 people at a high school in Parkland.