Former Atlanta Braves star Chipper Jones has apologized for a bizarre tweet claiming the FBI confirmed that the Sandy Hook massacre never happened. Twenty children and six staff members were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.
Jones posted the missive on Friday, then took a pounding on social media. He later deleted the tweet, but not before it was captured in a screen grab.
Seems Chipper won't need a Braves hat for his HOF bust, but a tinfoil one... pic.twitter.com/uXLT0hRgYX
— David S. Pumpkins (@dksouthorn) February 7, 2015
Cristina Hassinger, daughter of slain Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochsprung, offered a forceful response. Here are a couple of her tweets:
Really @RealCJ10? I can introduce you to my family and 25 others who would beg to differ. #asshat pic.twitter.com/WUJUDTbI4h
— cristina hassinger (@chass63) February 7, 2015
.@RealCJ10 Come for dinner. You can meet my grandmother-less children and I'll show you my mom's clothes riddled with bullet holes.
— cristina hassinger (@chass63) February 7, 2015
Journalists also chimed in. New York Times baseball writer Tyler Kepner tweeted thusly:
Not seeing any remorse from @RealCJ10 on his timeline re his hurtful, insensitive, obscene truther garbage. But hey how 'bout them Hawks!!
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) February 7, 2015
Saturday afternoon, Jones said he was sorry.
My apologies for my Sandy Hook tweet yest. I had heard something from someone which I thought to be credible and tweeted w/out researching.
— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) February 7, 2015
It was irresponsible of me to do that and will not happen again. Please accept my heartfelt apology to those who were hurt or offended.
— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) February 7, 2015
H/T Deadspin
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