No suspect named Sahil Omar identified by police after Fort Worth explosion | Fact check
The claim: 44-year-old migrant 'Sahil Omar' was identified as a suspect in Fort Worth hotel explosion
A Jan. 8 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a screenshot of a post on X, formerly Twitter, about an explosion at a Texas hotel.
"BREAKING: The suspect of the #explosion at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Hotel in Texas, USA, has been identified as 44 year-old (sic) migrant Sahil Omar," reads the X post. "Authorities have yet to find a motive."
The post garnered more than 90 likes in one day. Similar versions of the claim were shared on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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Our rating: False
Authorities suspect a gas leak caused the explosion, but the investigation is ongoing. They have given no indication that it was an intentional act and said there is no suspect or risk to the public.
No suspects identified by police
At least 21 people were injured by an explosion that traveled through the bottom floors of the Sandman Signature Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 8.
Gezim Pollozani, a Fort Worth Police Department spokesperson, told Paste BN in an email there are no suspects in the ongoing investigation into the explosion.
Craig Trojacek, another spokesperson for the department, told Paste BN that investigators are confident the blast was "some kind of gas explosion."
The Fort Worth Fire Department said in a Jan. 8 X post that the hotel had been undergoing construction work and that the explosion was "likely caused by a gas leak, but still waiting to confirm."
In a comment beneath a Facebook post about the incident, the fire department debunked claims that the explosion was an act of terrorism or criminal in nature.
"There have been NO comments or statements made by the Fort Worth Fire Department or the Fort Worth Police Department suggesting this was the cause," the comment reads. "There is NO THREAT to the public safety in the wake of yesterday’s incident."
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Online users also falsely accused "a 44-year-old migrant named Sahil Omar" of being mentioned in the unsealed Epstein documents and carrying out the December 2023 University of Nevada, Las Vegas, shooting. The Nevada gunman, who died in a shootout with the police, was identified as Anthony Polito.
The X user told Paste BN in a direct message that they made up the claim. The Instagram user didn't immediately respond.
The Associated Press and Lead Stories also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
- Gezim Pollozani, Jan. 9, Email exchange with Paste BN
- Paste BN, Jan. 9, 21 injured after possible gas explosion at historic Fort Worth, Texas, hotel: 'Very loud and very violent'
- Paste BN, Dec. 8, 2023, UNLV gunman who shot four faculty members, killing three, had a target list: Updates
- Fort Worth Fire Department, Jan. 9, Facebook post
- Fort Worth Fire Department, Jan. 8, X post
- CleanNikeAir, Dec. 20, 2023, X post
- JoshGiddeyLuver, Dec. 6, 2023, X post
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