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The post appeared on the Hopedale Police Department's page on Tuesday night, claiming that an officer had shot a trans woman after she showed him her genitals. Chief Mark Giovanella released a statement saying that someone had gotten into their account and made the post without their knowledge. He added that his department is investigating the matter.
“Unauthorized access was gained to our social media account, Facebook, leading to the dissemination of content that does not align with the values, principles, and professionalism of our police department,” Giovanella said in a statement. "The posted message was a hoax designed to cause shock and alarm in our community and our followers."
While the post was taken down Wednesday, copies quickly made the rounds on social media.
It read:
Today, we ran across a 'woman' smoking crack in the women's bathroom. When he took out his 'member' we took it as a direct threat. Our officers on the scene fired 47 shots into the suspect. While Deputy Michael is currently on investigative leave (with bonus pay,) we've been slandered by the liberal media. We feel justified in our actions — and we will gladly unload on any 'woman' we see fit. We hope the community understands — but we know you back us. Thank you for your support.
The Hopedale Police Department's Facebook page was removed on Wednesday.
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