Tea Party Patriots respond to incorrect report about its member after Colorado shooting
— -- The Colorado Tea Party Patriots responded Friday to an incorrect on-air report by ABC News that implicated one of the political group's members as the man who opened fire inside a crowded movie in Aurora, Colorado.
On Friday morning, ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross suggested that James Holmes, 52, a member of the group, could be the shooter.
"There's a Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado, page on the Colorado Tea party site as well, talking about him joining the Tea Party last year," Ross said on 'Good Morning America.' "Now, we don't know if this is the same Jim Holmes. But it's Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado."
The suspect, who is now in custody, is a 24-year-old with the same name.
In a joint statement, Colorado Tea Party Patriots and the Tea Party Patriots denounced the report as "shameless and reprehensible."
The Colorado Tea Party Patriots and the Tea Party Patriots are saddened to hear of the death and wounding of theater goers in Aurora, Colorado. The member of the Colorado Tea Party Patriots, Jim Holmes, age 52 is not the same person who has been identified as the shooter.
The attempts of some media organizations to characterize the shooter as a Tea Party member without having made any effort to contact our organization are shameless and reprehensible.
Ross has since apologized and corrected the false report.
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