The shooting that stained the Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City on Feb. 14 sowed chaos as thousands fled in terror and police searched for the unknown assailants.

Accurate information was sparse in the immediate aftermath, as it often is after mass shootings, and people were seeking answers from any trusted source.

Tim Burchett, the Republican congressman representing East Tennessee, waded into the confusion to offer some information through his X social media account.

What Burchett shared, however, was demonstrably false.

Police ultimately detained three juveniles on suspicion they fired the shots that killed one woman and left 22 people injured.

Not arrested? Denton Loudermill, a Kansas City-area native who was briefly detained because he was drunk in public. He was eventually released and police never suspected he was connected to the shooting.

Nonetheless, Burchett posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, a photo that showed Loudermill and falsely claimed he was an illegal immigrant who committed the shooting.

“One of the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade shooters has been identified as an illegal Alien,” Burchett wrote, sharing a photo of Loudermill while he was detained.

Burchett’s tweet was reposted by over 2,000 people and was interacted with by at least 4,000. Loudermill, a father of three, told local media he’s received death threats since images of him at the scene went viral, but he’s not taking legal action.

“Mr. Denton has received death threats over a lie, over misinformation,” his attorney told local news. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He did not commit a crime. So please, run, tell that. Get the truth out there. Help us clear his name. Help us save his life.”

Knox News reached out to Burchett on Feb. 19 to ask about the false X post, and he replied he was taking it down.

“Thanks for bringing that to my attention,” he wrote.

Burchett has posted to X 28 times since sharing false information about Loudermill and Newsweek said in an article it contacted his office Feb. 19 and left a message to ask about it. Burchett’s false X post also had a context advisory for readers to provide them with more accurate information about the events in Kansas City.

Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tim Burchett deletes false post about Kansas City shooting