Chuck Norris speaks out on viral US Capitol riot photo: ‘It wasn’t me and I wasn’t there’
The 'Walker, Texas Ranger' star took to Instagram and addressed the rumor
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chuck Norris is speaking out after a photo appearing to show the actor at the deadly Capitol riot last week went viral.
On Tuesday, the 80-year-old took to Instagram and Twitter where he addressed the rumor in a post.
"It has come to my attention that unfortunately there was a Chuck Norris lookalike at the DC Capitol riots on January 6th," read the actor’s caption. "It wasn’t me and I wasn’t there. Let me be clear that there is no room for violence of any kind in our society, including in the context of political protests."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"A peaceful transition of power is fundamental to our democratic system of government," Norris shared. "I am and always will be for Law and Order. Your friend, Chuck Norris."
A rep for Chuck Norris told Fox News that the martial artist and actor was not at the Capitol riot last week. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)
A photo appearing to show the martial artist taking a selfie with a Trump supporter in Washington, D.C. began circulating on Twitter, implying that Norris attended. The snap was seemingly taken before the violent insurrection on the Capitol building began.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to People magazine, the Trump supporter posing with the look-alike has since been identified as Matthew Bledsoe, who captioned the snap "Chuck Norris."
On Tuesday, Norris’ manager Erik Kritzer told Fox News the man in question is not the action star.
"This is not Chuck Norris and is a wannabe lookalike although Chuck is much more handsome," wrote Kritzer. "Chuck remains on his ranch in Texas, where he has been with his family."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CHUCK NORRIS' BEST TOUGH-GUY MOMENTS ON SCREEN
On Jan. 6, supporters of President Trump gathered in a Washington, D.C. demonstration that led to a riot in which hundreds of people breached the security at the U.S. Capitol building as the Senate was voting to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College votes.
Five people died as a result of the riot. In a statement, Capitol Police said that more than 50 officers from the department and Metropolitan Police Department sustained injuries. Several of them were "hospitalized with serious injuries."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In 2017, Texas named Norris an honorary Texan – a title fitting for the former star of "Walker, Texas Ranger."
Norris has acted in many action and martial arts films over the decades, in addition to playing the title character in the "Walker" TV series from 1993 until 2001.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker on "Walker, Texas Ranger" in 1995. (CBS via Getty Images)
Norris was born in Oklahoma but has lived in Texas. A conservative Christian, he’s campaigned for some of the state’s top Republicans, including with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz during his White House run and with Gov. Greg Abbott in 2014.
For more than a decade, Norris has been the center of popular online jokes and memes attributing superhuman strength and impossible feats to him.
Norris is a longtime Republican and endorsed Trump during the 2016 presidential election against Hillary Clinton. However, People magazine noted Norris didn’t publicly share his endorsement for the 2020 election.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.