I’ve put a lot of effort into this site over the years, so it can be tempting to ignore a claim that I’ve only encountered once, in a short comment on an unrelated entry. That’s especially true if it’s a claim made without any substantial evidence, such as the one left by “Dave” all the way back in December of 2017:

Here is the image Dave linked to, which is miraculously still live:

On the left is a low-resolution screenshot of Mark Barden, father of seven-year-old Sandy Hook victim Daniel Barden. The source appears to be this MSNBC interview with Mark and Nicole Hockley. On the right is a slightly blurry, washed out photo of one of the dozen FBI agents that responded to the shooting that day. A significantly higher quality version of that photo is a little more difficult to find. This one, from “Splash News”, represents a modest improvement:

But wait! I recognize that guy; he’s the same agent seen here:

Based on the above photo, it seems obvious to me that this is not Mark Barden. The men have visibly different chins, lips, and eyes. Here’s a another side-by-side comparison, this time using higher-quality photos:

So when I finally got around to replying to Dave a couple of weeks later, my answer was basically “just because we don’t know who this guy is doesn’t mean that it’s Mark Barden; they don’t even look all that much alike”. And I left it at that. Claims that everyone at Sandy Hook that day was an “actor” are silly enough as it is, but the suggestion that they I guess ran out of actors and had to start reusing them, particularly those that played prominent, highly visible roles such as parents, are so illogical, so untethered from reality that it’s nearly impossible to do anything other than laugh. Do you mean to tell me that they couldn’t just grab one of the dozens and dozens of people seen milling about at the firehouse to play an FBI agent? They had to use one of the guys who was bound to be all over every news program in the country for the foreseeable future? Come on. It couldn’t make any less sense. But then I saw this exact claim again a few days ago on the site’s Facebook page, which, side note, has turned out to be a real magnet for whackadoos who have no idea that there’s a whole affiliated website here full of material.

Damnit, Marv. Guess I gotta put some effort into this nonsense now. Thankfully, new shit has come to light that makes this a bit easier to debunk now than it was back in December of 2017.

The first step in figuring out this man’s identity – and again, it is absolutely not Mark Barden, so let’s pump the brakes on that confidence, Marv – is to revisit this list of very real FBI agents that responded to the shooting on the 14th. This is the same list I used while debunking the similarly absurd claim that David Wheeler also “played” an FBI agent that day.

Not surprisingly, most of these agents have very small online footprints, if any. I imagine this is strongly recommended, if not required, by their employer. Luckily, some of them did at least have LinkedIn profiles, which included photos. As I made my way down the list, I noticed that one such photo looked awfully familiar:

That’s the public LinkedIn profile of FBI Special Agent (now FBI Supervisory Special Agent) Ian Kaufmann, who is credited as a member of the “Law Enforcement Support Personnel” in the list discussed earlier. While his current (at least according to LinkedIn) city is listed as Pensacola, Florida, his “Experience” shows that he was based in New Haven, Connecticut from October, 2007 to December, 2014. And while that certainly looks like a match to me, I’d be a lot happier with some additional photos for further corroboration. Luckily I didn’t have to look too far to find some.

On June 20th, 2019, the Facebook page belonging to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office posted about a small ceremony in which six of their personnel were recognized by the FBI for their assistance in taking down a nationwide ATM skimming and fraud operation the previous year. The full post reads:

Six Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office personnel were recognized by the FBI for their role in assisting the FBI in taking down a nationwide ATM skimming and fraud operation last year.

Certificates of appreciation signed by FBI Director Christopher Wray were presented today to Deputy Ethan Elsasser, Investigators Nicholas Grundin, Les Wolthers, Alan Vafides, Mike Kruger, and Sgt. Tom Piaget.

They played a key role in the apprehension and investigation of two Romanians believed to be traveling state to state installing skimming devices on ATM machines. Viorel Naboiu and Florin Bersanu were taken into custody by OCSO deputies May 10th of last year after a traffic stop was conducted on Highway 98. They were charged with use or possession of a scanning/skimming device and defrauding a financial institution.

The FBI’s federal investigation led to large scale racketeering case and prison sentences for both men.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan from the Jacksonville Office says losses from two of the subjects involved totaled an estimated 1.5 million dollars.

He was accompanied today by Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Ian Kaufmann.

There are three photos accompanying the post, two of which include Agent Kaufmann, confirming that he is not only the same Agent Kaufmann seen on LinkedIn, but that he is the man seen “wearing the FBI vest” at Sandy Hook. Here is a comparison:

Short of Agent Kaufmann personally verifying that yes, that is in fact him, I think that’s about as good as we’re going to get.

13 Thoughts on “Did Sandy Hook Parent Mark Barden Play An FBI Agent On December 14th, 2012?

  1. Marc Ipsen on February 4, 2021 at 5:00 am said:

    actually, the last photo of Ian Kaufmann looks even more similar to the first photo of Mark Barden. But it doesn’t matter, Sandy Hook has never been proven to be a real school shooting*, so it is reasonable to assume it was staged until proven real.

    *no evidence of dead children or dead shooter. Just ‘make-believe’.

    • Shill Murray on February 4, 2021 at 3:14 pm said:

      Are you an idiot or are you just fucking with me at this point?

      The photo on the right is taken from the same interview as the first photo, it’s just much better quality because I’m not a disingenuous piece of shit and I know how to use a computer. They have different eyes, different ears, different jawlines, different chins, different lips. Mark Barden in 2015, which is when that interview was filmed, is visibly older than Agent Kaufmann appears in photos from 2019… which makes sense because Barden is (based on public information) twelve years his senior. Oh, and one of them is, you know, totally bald. Etc.

      I’m not even sure what you’re implying. Do you somehow think that they’re the same person? Are you suggesting that fifty-six-year-old Mark Baden from Connecticut leads a double life as a forty-four-year-old Supervisory Special Agent in the FBI from Florida who goes by the name of Ian Kaufmann?

      • Marc Ipsen on February 6, 2021 at 10:20 am said:

        no, I just said they look even more similar in these two photos. But I certainly don’t think they are the same person. But regardless, after 8 years, there is still no evidence SH was a real massacre. No evidence of a dead shooter, no evidence of dead children. No need to invent any ‘parents playing FBI agents’. Anyone who ever saw the aftermath of a real massacre, knows SH was fake. Very simple. Cheers.

        • Shill Murray on February 6, 2021 at 2:03 pm said:

          Yes, if you ignore literally all of the evidence, or baselessly dismiss it as fake, then there is no evidence. Genius. Cheers.

        • It has been almost 9 years and you hoaxtards still hasn’t proven jack shit. It’s just the same old debunked BS over and over again. You fools keep losing lawsuit after lawsuit and getting arrested for harassing the families of the dead victims. So pathetic! The search for your so called truth went absolutely no where after all those years . It’s just getting really embarrassing at this point. The shooting happened. Get over it.

        • Michael on May 8, 2021 at 7:44 pm said:

          If there was any real justice in this world, all hoaxtards including you would be lined up against the wall and shot.

    • Steve on March 23, 2021 at 8:22 pm said:

      You’re shifting the burden of proof. It’s not up to us to prove it really happened as reported, It’s up to you to prove it was faked. Tell us what you think happened, how it happened and give us your best evidence to support it.

  2. Daniel Wood on June 12, 2021 at 6:27 pm said:

    Can you debunk the number 1 911 call? Some hoaxers are saying that the caller was Jackie Barden. Can you look into that and debunk that nonsense?

    • Shill Murray on June 14, 2021 at 1:10 pm said:

      Can you debunk the number 1 911 call? Some hoaxers are saying that the caller was Jackie Barden. Can you look into that and debunk that nonsense?

      They’re the scum of the Earth, but I guess you gotta admire the tenacity of these folks, right? They’ve been flinging shit at the wall for over nine years now and nothing has stuck. They’ve been wrong over and over again, clearly and demonstratably so, yet they’re still at it, and somehow they still have an audience. It’s incredible. These are the same folks that say you can’t trust cable news because Brian Williams lied about being fired on in Iraq.

      Anyway, this claim is new to me so I’m not even sure what they’re basing this one on, other than their fertile imaginations. By all accounts, school secretary Barbara Halstead was the first one to call 911. If you look at the “Call For Service Report” included with the final report (document 00073008), you’ll see that the first call came from (203)426-7657. Feel free to Google that, but it’s Sandy Hook’s main number. That lines up with the official story, which is that Barbara Halstead called 911 from the nurse’s office (which she discusses in 00007937). This is corroborated by the nurse, Sally Cox, in her statement (document 00256630). This is also how it’s described in document 00154399, which is the official transcription of that call:

      “In this investigation, I was assigned to transcribe the 911 call made by Sandy Hook School Elementary School [redacted]. At the time of the telephone call, [redacted] was hiding under a desk located in the back of the main office of the school. [redacted] called 911 from telephone number (203) 426-7657 (SHES) and called right after the shooter left the office. The call was received by Newtown PO at 09:35:39 AM. The purpose of transcribing the telephone call was to assist in putting together a timeline for the school shooting”

      Of course the name’s redacted, but not only does the story line up with Barbara’s (as well as the nurse’s), but why would Jackie Barden be in the main office of the school? That doesn’t make any sense.

      And based on what little audio I’ve heard of both, Barbara and Jackie don’t even sound all that much alike to me. Granted she’s panicked on the 911 call (who wouldn’t be?), but Barbara immediately sounds older. Probably because she is. Unless I see some compelling evidence to the contrary, this claim just seems like a non-starter to me.

  3. Dawson Kaiser on July 12, 2021 at 11:51 am said:

    I’ve heard alot of hoaxers say there is no record of Nancy or Adam Lanza ever attending the gun ranges around Newtown, is this true?

    • Shill Murray on July 13, 2021 at 9:04 am said:

      Of course it isn’t true. The final report is full of evidence that they both visited area ranges.

      “Sec 14 – Witness Reports.pdf” – “[REDACTED] related that during the time that he had known Nancy, she had shared with him that she owned guns and that she had been to a range target shooting with her sons.”

      “Sec 13 – Supplemental Reports.pdf” – “Nancy taking Adam to pistol safety courses so he could fire a pistol at the local range”, “[REDACTED] advised that NANCY LANZA often took [REDACTED] target shooting at a local range in CT. NANCY thought it was good for them to learn the responsibility of guns. NANCY LANZA owned several guns and had licenses for them.”, “[REDACTED] advised that ADAM had taken an NRA safety certification course that allowed him to fire the .45cal pistol at the Danbury range, and that to his knowledge ADAM was able to purchase all his ammunition legally.”

      “Sec 11 – Evidence Reports.pdf” – “One (1) certified mail receipt for Tin Star Shooting Range in Weatherford, Ok, dated 10/12/11, one (1) NRA basic pistol course certificate (NRA ID#7234661) for Nancy Lanza, one (1) business card for Chris Hansen of Arms & Muntions in Monroe, CT and two (2) Newtown Post Office receipts for a money order and a first class mail letter. Seized from the first floor office at 36 Yogananda Street, Sandy Hook, Connecticut.”

      “00256256.pdf” – “[REDACTED] stated that he was at the Wooster Mountain Shooting Range in Ridgefield (Danbury) approximately 2 years ago. He stated that he saw Nancy and Adam there shooting the Bushmaster AR-15 as well as what he believed to be a Glock Model 19 .9mm handgun. [REDACTED] stated that Nancy asked him if he would be willing to give Adam some pointers and tips on how to shoot. [REDACTED] stated that he agreed and gave Adam a quick lesson in controlling his breathing and proper aiming techniques. [REDACTED] stated that Adam was a quiet guy who didn’t talk much. He stated that Adam listened well and did as [REDACTED] told him. He stated that was the only time that he ever shot with Adam or Nancy. [REDACTED] stated that Nancy told him that she and Adam shot frequently at the indoor range in Bridgeport. [REDACTED] stated that after shooting with Adam and Nancy, he had since seen Nancy at ‘My Place’ and he asked her what she did with that .45 caliber handgun that she wanted to sell to him.”

      “00222826.pdf” – This includes a scan of the actual sign-in sheet from Shooters in New Milford, which shows both Nancy’s as well as Adam’s signatures. Just scroll down to the last page.

      “00196017.pdf” – Not an actual range, but further proof that the Lanza’s routinely practiced shooting: “As a hobby, Lafontaine and Nancy would take their boys shooting behind his house where he had a makeshift gun range. At the time, the shooter was 5 years old. Here, he and Nancy taught the shooter to fire a .22 and a high powered air rifle.”

      “00182743.pdf” – “Nancy often took the shooter to target shooting at the local range. Nancy thought it was important for him to learn the responsibility of guns.”

      “00029167.pdf” – This is the interview with Christian Hansen, the NRA-certified instructor from Fairfield County Indoor Range/Arms & Munitions in Monroe. He taught the NRA safety courses to both Nancy and Adam. “When I saw the media picture of Adam Lanza, I recognized him. I believe it was about 4 years ago when he ·and his mother took a basic safety class from me. I remember the mother to be a nice person and Adam to be extremely quiet and polite. To the best of my recollection, the mother took the basic pistol certification class and Adam with his mother took the basic NRA rifle safety course. After they completed the safety course, they came back two or three times within a year of taking the class and rented rim fire pistols and rifles. Both the mother and son were actively shooting when they came to the range. I was working part-time at that time, they could have been there more times.”

      “00006579.pdf” – Interview with Peter Lanza. “Peter stated that he would periodically send emails to Adam asking how he was doing. He stated that he would also ask Adam to join him at different events, or hobbies that Adam enjoyed such as playing arcades, going to the shooting range, and attending coin shows.”, “Peter stated he assumed Adam had access to firearms purchased by Nancy because on one occasion he took Adam to Wooster Mountain Shooting Range and Adam possessed two long guns that he believed were purchased by Nancy. S/A Shibley asked Peter if he ever purchased ammunition for Adam to which he replied yes. Peter Lanza stated he would purchase a box of ammunition for Adam when they went to shooting ranges, but they would shoot all the ammunition at the range.”, “Peter stated that there were several occasions prior to 2011, that he took his son Adam to a shooting range located in Monroe, CT. He stated that at the Monroe shooting range he would rent a single gun for Adam and him to shoot at targets. Peter stated that he purchased ammunition at the Monroe shooting range for the two of them to use. Peter also stated that he recalls a time when he took his son Adam to a shooting range in Danbury, CT.”

      “00002286.pdf” – “[REDACTED] related that during the time that he had known Nancy, she had shared with him that she owned guns and that she had been to a range target shooting with her sons.”

      “00194599.pdf” – “Exhibit #605 – One (1) receipt for Timstar Shooting Range located in Weatherford, Ok and one (1) NRA certificate for Nancy Lanza.”

      “00155237.pdf” – “One ( l) certified mail receipt for Tin Star Shooting Range in Weatherford, Ok, dated 10/12/11, one (1) NRA basic pistol course certificate (NRA ID#7234661) for Nancy Lanza, one (1) business card for Chris Hansen of Arms & Muntions in Monroe, CT and two (2) Newtown Post Office receipts for a money order and a first class mail letter. Seized from the first floor office at 36 Yogananda Street, Sandy Hook, Connecticut”

      “00194623.pdf” – Photos of the evidence seized from the Lanza household. Page fifteen includes the aforementioned NRA certificate and business card.

  4. Christopher Strimbu on November 7, 2021 at 4:24 pm said:

    Shill, just

    Thank you.

    My contempt towards these “truthers” is beyond my words. Just the thought of going up to a parent who just had their child killed by a lunatic with an AR-15 and tell them that their child never existed and that they are paid actors is just beyond my comprehension. The amount of empathy these losers have is abysmal. These people are quite literally, a disgrace to society. All these years, they just point out little details that don’t prove anything, or fabricate “evidence”, and then go and harass the parents of these dead children. It’s sickening. And it doesn’t end at Sandy Hook. Any other major shooting has people yelling “Fake! Fake! Crisis actors!” It just,,,

    So thank you Shill. I can’t imagine what it’s like spending days of your life reading garbage where these psychopaths try to justify their delusion. And arguing with people that can’t say a single, coherent, rational thought…it must be frustrating. Either that, or you have the patience of a saint. And the sad thing is, it won’t stop. I don’t think you get enough credit for running this site. So thank you, Shillam Murray. Let’s keep the truth going.

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