 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2024
CONTACT
Aric Mitchell, PIO
info@fortsmithpd.org
479-709-5000
COMMUNITY NOTICE
Response to social media disinformation
[FORT SMITH, AR] — Over the last four days, the Fort Smith Police Department has received hundreds of messages, mostly from out-of-state, concerning a tragedy our community endured in 2019. The actual circumstances of that event are readily available.
Out of respect to our citizens and the family of the victim, we will not revisit the details of the incident itself, only to say that the former dispatcher in question has not been employed with the Fort Smith Police Department since August 2019, and she was never a Police Officer during her time with the agency.
Unfortunately, it appears the renewed interest is predicated on a disinformation post intended to mislead that links back to the account of "digital creator" Zach Sano (see images below).
Mr. Sano has been provided with the correct information. At this time, he has chosen not to act upon it. The post has also been reported to Facebook, where it originated, but due to the network not allowing contextual details to prove the information false, it is unlikely to be removed.
Therefore, we are issuing this statement to correct the record for our citizens and those in the surrounding area who we have the honor to serve every day. We also would like to thank our media partners in the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas regions for their integrity and professionalism in not giving the post any more attention than it has received through social media.
 
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