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WARREN -- Rumors of a C-130 airplane crash near the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna have surfaced online after a lieutenant colonel died Dec. 4.
Several online postings said the cause of Lt. Col. Scott Julian's death was related to a plane crashing near the air base, killing him and four other servicemen.
"It's patently false," said Senior Master Sgt. Bob Barko, public affairs superintendent for the 910th Airlift Wing. "He wasn't on duty."
Barko referred to the cause of mass confusion, which he said he witnessed through multiple news organizations contacting him about the postings, as "pirate obituaries."
"It's all generated," he said. "It's some bot-generated story in total. If there had been an accident, our regulations require that we put out a press release within an hour for things like that."
Barko said people from outside of the community have been rewriting obituaries with tragic storylines to attract readers and coerce them into purchasing products from websites.
"Or worse case," Barko continued, "They're trying to get into your phone."
"It's not accurate. We got to lay him to rest and pay our respects."
Julian was a member of the United States Air Force, stationed at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, according to his obituary. He was the commander of the 910th Force Support Squadron and also served as a board member of the Red Cross.
He leaves behind two children.