The satirical news site The Onion has won the auction for Infowars from Alex Jones in a bankruptcy sale, backed by the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Robbie Parker, whose daughter died in the massacre, expressed that the disappearance of Infowars is justice, as Alex Jones owes them over a billion dollars in defamation damages.
The Onion acquired the website, social media accounts, studio in Austin, Texas, trademarks, and video archive of Infowars, although the sale price has not been disclosed. Jones mentioned that he would move his daily broadcasts to other media if his detractors acquired Infowars.
Families of the shooting victims sued Jones for defamation and emotional distress, as he claimed that the incident in Newtown was a hoax. The Onion stated that Everytown for Gun Safety will be its "exclusive launch advertiser," supporting the prevention of gun violence.
Both supporters and critics of Alex Jones have shown interest in purchasing Infowars, but the acquisition by The Onion appears confirmed. Jones claimed he would file legal objections to stop the transaction.
Sealed bids for the Infowars auction opened on Wednesday, and legal actions were filed in Connecticut and Texas. Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families worked with The Onion to attempt to acquire Infowars, which has been successful according to the latest reports.