Denver Post Twitter account hacked with bomb threats and racist slurs tweeted
The official Twitter account of The Denver Post was hacked Saturday night as the account posted numerous strange, threatening and racist tweets throughout the night.
“The repulsive tweets do not reflect the views and values of The Denver Post and the appropriate authorities have been contacted as we investigate how this occurred,” said Lee Ann Colacioppo, editor-in-chief of The Denver Post.
The most offensive tweets include one that used the N-word and said “sh– skins” are banned from Denver beginning on Jan. 1, demanding that Black residents evacuate the city.
— Maddie (@MaddieMaddieeee) December 27, 2020
Another tweet, claiming to be from Salem, Oregon resident Gunner Levy, said that 12 bombs have been planted at Kindred Hospital Denver. “I’m going to explode them on the new years, All will die,” the tweet said.
According to Tampa Bay news station WTSP, Levy has been the victim of hacking pranks twice before in February 2019 and November 2017.
The previous attacks blamed Levy for hacking Twitter accounts – including that of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn – and posting bomb threats and child pornography. Levy was found innocent in both cases.
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Other tweets on The Denver Post account included a video of a person in a full bathtub wearing jeans and sneakers and multiple tweets that tagged other Twitter users.
Some of the tagged accounts have been deleted, others appear inactive or unrelated to the attack.
Denver Post officials said Saturday that they don’t know how or why the account was hacked. They said all passwords were changed and bot accounts were blocked; however, inappropriate tweets continued after the announcement.
it looks like the denver post was hacked. #denver pic.twitter.com/J4lnxtbXBI
— Steve (@sjgzg) December 27, 2020
A reporter from The Denver Post, Elise Schmelzer, was also an apparent victim of the hacking.
Schmelzer’s account posted numerous tweets including one that referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus” and another that said, “VOTER FRAUD IS NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORY, IT IS A FACT!!!”
Schmelzer said Sunday morning that the hacker was kicked from her account and all tweets, including her own, have been deleted.
The Denver Police Department is investigating the hacking and threats.