In all the years I've been writing, this has never happened to me before. I am starting to go from stunned to pissed. I just posted this update to the Perazzi/Denver shotgun arrest story:
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Perazzi has released the following statement on its website, translated using Google Translate:
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE by Perazzi SPA
With regard to reports in the American press, in relation to an alleged arrest for "terrorism" by Daniele Perazzi (founder of Perazzi Armi SpA), we point out that the news is completely devoid of any foundation. Daniele Perazzi is however, unfortunately, failed to live for about a year. Even his son, Mauro, was last Saturday in the USA. As reported in the press is absolutely false. The company Perazzi, however, contrary to what is written, is familiar with the American legislation on weapons because of his extensive and well-known activities of marketing its products in the USA. Since it is difficult to think of simple error, it is believed that someone who has interests contrary to those of the Perazzi SpA, may have spread false and misleading information purposes only defamatory. The company has already instructed his lawyers to take the most appropriate actions, civil and criminal, in order to protect the brand represented and its activity, carried on the American market. Perazzi Armi SpA
PRESS RELEASE From Perazzi SpA With reference to press reports Concerning Daniele Perazzi's alleged unlawful arrest for terrorism last Saturday in Denver (Colorado), That we were the incident is devoid of any foundation and the news is completely fabricated. Daniele Perazzi (founder of Perazzi SpA) died last year, and his son Mauro was not in the United States last Saturday. The Perazzis are not involved in. any wrongdoing in any way, shape or form and, to our best knowledge, are not under investigation or scrutiny nor are targets of criminal proceedings. The Perazzi Company, contrarily to what Has Been Reported, is very familiar with the U.S. legislation on two weapons to its extensive presence in the American market. Perazzi is considering to take legal action to protect the brand and the Company's reputation in the USA. Perazzi SpA
Since this story has started to gain wider attention, my role in this, why I posted this and the standards I used before publishing merit scrutiny.
I was sent an email from a very well-known Second Amendment attorney titled "major urgent story." As I protect my sources, I will be immediately sending him an email asking if I may disclose his name.
He set down the story, essentially as presented in my Examiner column, and gave me as contacts NRA Director Schreiner and another attorney, one whose CV includes Oxford and Harvard--she requested I not use her name for attribution and I honored that for my story.
I called both and had extensive conversations that include contemporaneous notes of our conversations, and they both independently confirmed the contents of the email and each others' accounts.
To further source the story, I linked to a Fox News Channel 31 Denver report.
I also called the Adams County Sheriff's Office and left a voice mail with the Public Information Officer. As it was Sunday, no one answered and no call has been returned.
Before publishing the story, I sent it to the Colorado attorney who confirmed the story for an accuracy check, and she replied back that it was "well written" and "approved." She is also the one who told me that the Daniele Perazzi in the story was the grandson of the founder. I have the emails to document this.
After publishing, I sent the story link to Schreiner, to the attorney who tipped me to the story, and to the attorney who acted as a source.
This afternoon, a colleague sent me the link to the Perazzi press release. I immediately called Schreiner who maintains he was at the Collectors Show and has first-hand knowledge of some of the information stated as fact, and was directly told about the rest from show management. I also left a call for the source attorney and left a voice mail telling her of these developments and asking her to call me.
The bottom line is, I went through an extraordinary level of verification on this story before publishing it.
If it turns out that it is, as the press release states, "completely devoid of any foundation," that means someone went to extraordinary lengths to create and perpetuate a hoax story, and to draw me and others into it, and to smooth entry by using credible people.
As something like this can destroy a reputation, I too, am absolutely invested in getting to the truth of this matter, horrified by this development, and committed to identifying anyone who would do such a thing.
I am going to leave the original story intact below and will be writing a follow-up article when more information becomes known.