In Kansas City, Missouri, an Olathe resident, Denton Loudermill, has initiated a lawsuit for invasion of privacy against Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett. The legal action stems from Burchett’s reposting of erroneous information on social media, which falsely tagged Loudermill as the perpetrator of a shooting at a Chiefs rally, and labeled him an “illegal alien.”
Loudermill was one of the thousands who gathered to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII triumph. The festivities were marred when an altercation between two groups escalated into gunfire, resulting in the tragic death of beloved mother and Kansas City DJ, Lisa Lopez-Galvan, and injuries to over 20 individuals.
In the ensuing chaos, Loudermill found himself handcuffed by an officer for allegedly moving too slowly and was placed on a sidewalk curb. This incident led to him being photographed and misidentified on social media as the shooter and an illegal immigrant, with some of these posts originating from Burchett’s personal “X” account, as highlighted in the lawsuit documentation.
The misinformation spread rapidly, with one of the posts garnering 7.2 million views, over 176,000 likes, 515 quotes, and more than 20,000 reposts. Burchett later acknowledged his mistake in labeling Loudermill an illegal alien, removed the offending posts, and attributed his error to inaccurate news reports. However, he did not retract his wrongful identification of Loudermill as the shooter.
This false identification has had severe repercussions for Loudermill, subjecting him to death threats and significant mental distress, including anxiety, agitation, and disrupted sleep. The lawsuit details these impacts, suggesting they may persist into the future.
In connection to the shooting that took place during the rally, three men—Lyndell Mays, Dominic Miller, and Terry J. Young—have been charged with murder and related gun crimes. Additionally, three teenagers have also faced charges related to the incident.
KSHB 41 has reached out to Congressman Burchett for a comment on the lawsuit, and this story will be updated with any response received.