That is the leftists/democrats plan:
"Never let a crisis go to waste"
1 - Get the leftist narative out early. Fill the information vacuum before the true facts are known.
2 - Issue a correction later, only if you have to. Many who heard the first accusation will not hear the correction, and most will still remember the first account they heard.
We’ve seen it played out this way so many times before.... it’s shameful to put out a blatant lie then issue an “apology” which most readers (or listeners of TV) never hear.