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| - During the weekend before Election Day 2024 in the U.S., several Snopes readers shared screen captures of the same message circulating on messaging apps — something known as a copypasta — warning about the threat of an attack from white supremacists on Black voters in Gwinnett County, Georgia:
(screen capture)
The message read:
Urgent!!
Hey everyone, I received this from a friend's daughter that lives in Georgia! Please share!
Fwd:
Hey ladies, I just received this from a friend who works in the Gwinnett County Sheriff's office!!!
Be on Alert… Last night, a deputy told a family that local White Supremacists/ KKK members originating out of Lexington, NC, are planning to attack from now until the Inauguration.
They are plotting against Blacks, especially black women because in their eyes, we are easy targets! Please be vigilant! Try not to do anything alone, especially after dark! This is not a hoax or a rumor! The deputy showed paperwork that the police department has. In their words…They're taking their country back!"
It's really scary, and please take what I'm telling you SERIOUSLY! We have to continue to live, but just be careful and watch your surroundings!
This is happening everywhere. Stay safe!"
Take care of yourself.
Watch and make people aware of anything abnormal!!!
Other versions of the introduction to the message also appeared, including one purporting to be from a councilwoman named Wanda Randolph, though it did not specify which council:
(screen capture)
"This is Councilwoman Wanda Randolph," the introduction to the message read. "Good evening. I received this from a friend who works in the Gwinnett County Sheriff's office!!! (Georgia)."
The rest of the message was identical to the first one. A Google search revealed a Councilwoman Wanda Randolph in Eatonville, Florida. We contacted her via telephone and text message to ask her to confirm whether she had sent this message and will update this report should she respond.
Snopes received several more messages from readers wondering about the veracity of this message. As in many instances of copypasta and urban legends, those who shared the message claimed to have received it from close relations in Georgia — a tried-and-true way of giving a claim the appearance of credibility. Our reporting, however, indicates that there is no truth in it.
There is indeed a Gwinnett County in Georgia, northeast of Atlanta. It encompasses several towns, including Lawrenceville at its center, Buford at its north, and Snelville at its south. U.S. Census data indicated that while its largest demographic is white non-Hispanic, nearly 30% of the population is Black, and the rest is Asian, Hispanic and multiracial.
Snopes contacted the Gwinnett County's Sheriff's Office, which told us it were aware of such a message circulating. The office directed us to its social media posts addressing it. The post on its Facebook page indicated that while it had not received any information about this specific threat, it would remain attentive to any concerning activity designed to derail the voting process. It also suggested that the reason some people are spreading this rumor might be to discourage voters — especially Black women — from going to polling stations to cast their ballots (archived):
(Facebook/Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office has been made aware of a circulating text thread suggesting potential attacks on African American women "from now through the inauguration." We have not received any information indicating threats to any group(s) on or after election day.
Hateful discourse such as this aims to instill fear in the community and disrupt us from exercising our constitutional rights. The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office remains dedicated to protecting all citizens and we will continue to monitor and respond accordingly to all suspicious and threatening behavior.
We will continue collaborating with local, state, and federal authorities to stay current on any potential threats surrounding the general election. Please immediately report any information regarding threats or suspicious behavior to your local law enforcement agency or call the Tip Line at 770.619.6655.
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's office also shared this message on Instagram, LinkedIn and X, linking to the above Facebook post:
(X/Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)
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