claim: A 21-foot saltwater crocodile was captured in Connecticut after killing two people.
origin: A Facebook post that appeared to link toÂ a genuine news item about a 21-foot crocodile that was captured after killing two people in ConnecticutÂ appearedÂ in June 2017: However, the link actually leads to the â€œprankâ€ web siteÂ Channel23News.com, which allows users to create their own fake news stories. In this case,Â the articleÂ appeared to report: < Caught alive after a three-week hunt, a 21-foot-long (6.4-meter-long) saltwater crocodileâ€”the biggest crocodile ever caught in the waters of Connecticut â€”was restrained on Thursday June 22, according to the Associated Press. The 2,369-pound (1,075-kilogram) crocodile is suspected of attacking several people and killing two. The animal, named Salty survived capture and is being held in a temporary enclosure in the Herman Issacs, Co. > The web site includes several not-so-subtle hints that its content is fake: the â€œYou Got Owned!â€ meme in its header, the text â€œYouâ€™ve Been Pranked!â€ next to the story, and the disclaimer in the footer:Â < We do NOT support FAKE NEWS!!! This is a Prank website that is intended for Fun. Bullying, Violent Threats or posts that Violate Public Order are NOT permitted on this Website. > The fake saltwater crocodile article used an image from a 2014 news article about a crocodile that was spotted off the coast of Australia.