Actor Scott Baio was slammed on Facebook by a Sandy Hook victim’s sister after he retweeted an outrageous meme on Thursday suggesting that Heather Heyer’s death in Charlottesville was a hoax put on by the ‘crisis actors used in Newtown’.
Jillian Soto, the sister of slain Sandy Hook teacher Vicki Soto, blasted Baio for his retweet, saying he was ‘encouraging hateful behavior’.
Earlier today Scott Baio shared a picture encouraging conspiracy theories having to do with Sandy Hook and Charlottesville and Heather Heyers mother,’ Jillian Soto wrote on Facebook.
‘We are deeply disappointed that someone who has such a large audience would use that audience to target victims families,’ Soto wrote.
Actor Scott Baio (left) was slammed on Facebook by a Sandy Hook victim’s sister after he retweeted an outrageous meme on Thursday suggesting that Heather Heyer’s (right) death in Charlottesville was a hoax put on by the ‘crisis actors used in Newtown’
Jillian Soto (right), the sister of slain Sandy Hook teacher Vicki Soto (left), blasted Baio for his retweet, saying he was ‘encouraging hateful behavior’
‘We are deeply disappointed that someone who has such a large audience would use that audience to target victims families,’ Soto wrote on a Facebook memorial page for her sister
According to Soto when she and family members tried to reach out to Baio about the retweet, ‘he blocked us’.
But Baio later said he hadn’t blocked anyone in a follow-up tweet.
‘He is saying that he was just asking for thoughts, but what he did was encourage hateful behavior and targeted harassment against our family.
‘When will enough be enough? We have been through hell and back dealing with hoaxers. From Megyn Kelly giving Alex Jones airtime to Scott sending out pictures to all his followers.
‘We are real people at the other end of these conspiracy theories and it hurts us, deeply,’ a heartbroken Soto wrote.
Baio eventually deleted the meme and admitted he was ‘wrong’ to push it out to his 218,000 followers.
Baio eventually deleted the meme and admitted he was ‘wrong’ to push it out to his 218,000 followers
He also felt the need to tweet that he hadn’t blocked the Soto family on Twitter after they reached out to him to discuss his retweet
Baio then followed up with this tweet in which he says there are political differences but the Soto family’s ‘pain comes through clearly’
‘We are real people at the other end of these conspiracy theories and it hurts us, deeply,’ a heartbroken Soto wrote
Jillian told the New York Daily News that she ‘can’t accept an apology from someone who spews hate’.
‘His apology is not real. He personally chose to share this, then he chose to block my family when we tried to defend ourselves. That doesn’t feel like a sincere apology.’
In September 2014, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who runs the website InfoWars made the conspiracy claim that ‘no one died’ at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the victims were ‘child actors’.
On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot dead 20 children between six and seven years old, as well as six adult staff members at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Just two weeks ago, Heyer lost her life while protesting in Charlottesville against white nationalists at their Unite the Right rally.
Just two weeks ago, Heyer lost her life while protesting in Charlottesville against white nationalists at their Unite the Right rally (pictured). Alleged driver, James Alex Fields, 20, slammed his car into anti-fascist protesters and struck Heyer, 32, who died at the scene
Suspected driver, James Alex Fields, Jr, 20, slammed his car into the anti-fascist protesters and struck 32-year-old Heyer, who died at the scene.
Fields has since been charged with second-degree murder in connection with her tragic death.
This isn’t the first time Baio has been called out by his hurtful remarks or actions.
Back in April, Baio was forced to apologize for blaming the death of Happy Days co-star Erin Moran on drugs after it emerged she died from cancer.
The actor claimed he was responding to media reports when he suggested the death of the 56-year-old may have been due to substance abuse problems.
Authorities in Indiana said Moran likely died from cancer at her home in New Salisbury.