Sandy Hook Families Fighting Back Against Alex Jones

Six families of victims killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and an FBI agent who responded to the scene are suing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for defamation, citing “a years-long campaign of abusive and outrageous false statements,” reports ABC. Jones, who operates the conspiracy site Infowars, has repeatedly called the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting that took the lives of 20 children and six school staff members a hoax. The statements have incited abuse and death threats against the families, according to the Hill.

Jones at various times has said that the same children were cycled in and out of the Newtown, Conn., school and that no emergency helicopters were deployed to the scene. He has said that the scene was staged and called parents of the murdered children liars. The plaintiffs called his statements “outrageous, deeply painful, and defamatory.” Their suit also names Infowars itself, as well as two men associated with the now-defunct site SandyHookJustice. At least two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook survivors have been filed against Jones. (More Sandy Hook Elementary School stories.)