"NEW INFO SAYS KOBE BRYANT AND ALL 4 OF HIS DAUGHTER HAVE DIED FROM HELICOPTER CRASH."
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Flowers, jerseys and imagery are left in remembrance to Kobe Bryant at a small memorial at the entrance of the Bryant Gymnasium at Lower Merion High School, Monday, in Wynnewood, Pa. (AP)
Viral post falsely claims Kobe Bryant died with 'all four' daughters
A false headline reports that "all four" of Kobe Bryant’s daughters died in a helicopter cash.
HipHopOverload.com published the story on Jan. 26, the day the retired basketball star and one of his daughters were killed in a California helicopter crash, with a headline that claimed: "NEW INFO SAYS KOBE BRYANT AND ALL 4 OF HIS DAUGHTER HAVE DIED FROM HELICOPTER CRASH."
The story referred to the news as "breaking" and said the article would be updated.
But the same headline remained on the morning of Jan. 27, long after essential details of the crash had been widely reported.
The post, which was being shared across social media, was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
As the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times and other news media reported, nine people were killed in the crash in the Los Angeles County city of Calabasas — and Bryant, 41, the former Los Angeles Lakers star, and one of his four daughters, Gianna, 13, were the only members of the Bryant family who were killed.
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The others who died were the pilot, Ara Zobayan; Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa, who played on the same club team as Gianna. Also killed were Christina Mauser, who was the top assistant coach of the girls’ basketball team, as well as a mother and daughter from Orange County, identified by family and friends as Sarah and Payton Chester.
The National Basketball Association confirmed that Kobe and Gianna died in the crash.
Our ruling
A widely shared post on Facebook claimed: "NEW INFO SAYS KOBE BRYANT AND ALL 4 OF HIS DAUGHTER HAVE DIED FROM HELICOPTER CRASH."
Only one of Bryant’s daughters died with him in the crash.
We rate the claim False.
Our Sources
HipHopOverload.com, "NEW INFO SAYS KOBE BRYANT AND ALL 4 OF HIS DAUGHTER HAVE DIED FROM HELICOPTER CRASH," Jan. 26, 2020
The Los Angeles Times, "Kobe Bryant helicopter crash at center of intense federal investigation," Jan. 27, 2020
The New York Times, "Live Updates as the World Reacts to Kobe Bryant’s Death," Jan. 27, 2020
NBA, statement, Jan. 26, 2020
CNN, "9 people were killed in the Sunday helicopter crash," Jan. 27, 2020
USA Today, "What we know about crash that killed NBA, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant," Jan. 27, 2020
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Viral post falsely claims Kobe Bryant died with 'all four' daughters
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