ABC News aired footage of home invaders fleeing after being threatened with a rocket-propelled grenade.
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No, this isn’t an ABC News newscast of a man using a rocket-propelled grenade against burglars
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The video is not on ABC News’ website nor did we find a story about this incident on the Nexis news database.
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YouTuber Dominykas Zeglaitis, who is known for making comedy videos, originally posted the video, which was reshared without the context that it was a joke. The supposed ABC News announcer says Zeglaitis’ first name in the clip.
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Zeglaitis made a similar viral video with a different fabricated ABC News newscast, which he described as a "crazy marketing stunt."
In an Instagram video that appears to be ABC News footage of an attempted robbery, a man exits his Lamborghini and is chased by two men in ski masks. The man returns with what appears to be a rocket-propelled grenade and aims it at the two robbers, who flee.
The Nov. 11 post includes what appears to be an ABC News logo and text on the bottom of the clip, which reads, "Home invaders flee after RPG surprise," shorthand for rocket-propelled grenade, and a voiceover which says, "Saturday this video went viral on social media of 28 year old Dominykas, driving home to his Calabasas home, where two unidentified men in ski masks were waiting to rob him."
Screenshot from Instagram
The video then cuts to an interview with the man who was purportedly the victim of the attempted robbery. He wears a "Make America Great Again" hat and says, "I’m rich, I’m famous. They’re coming for my downfall. They’re tryna take away my Second Amendment." We identified the man as YouTuber Dominykas Zeglaitis.
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The video is not from an authentic ABC News report. We searched ABC News’ website and the Nexis news database but did not find a story that mentioned a rocket-propelled grenade and a robbery attempt.
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Zeglaitis is known for creating comical videos. The supposed ABC News video was first posted to Zeglaitis’ Instagram account Nov. 9. Another user reshared Zeglaitis' video without signaling that it was a joke.
Zeglaitis shared a similar video in 2023 with a fake ABC news text that reads, "Amazon package thief buys Lambo." Zieglaitis wrote on his Instagram account that the fake ABC News Amazon delivery driver newscast was a "crazy marketing stunt."
We contacted ABC News spokespeople to verify whether the footage had been aired on the network but received no response.
We rate the claim that ABC News aired footage of home invaders fleeing after being threatened with a rocket-propelled grenade False.
Our Sources
Instagram post (archived), Nov. 11, 2024
X post, Nov. 10, 2024
X post, Nov. 10, 2024
Instagram post, Nov. 9, 2024
Instagram post, April 9, 2023
Instagram post, June 30, 2023
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No, this isn’t an ABC News newscast of a man using a rocket-propelled grenade against burglars
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