THE manhunt widened on Monday for a murder suspect who police said posted a video of himself on Facebook shooting an elderly man in Cleveland as authorities asked the public for help and pleaded with the suspect to turn himself in.
Police said they have received "dozens and dozens" of tips about the possible location of the suspect, Steve Stephens, and tried to persuade him to surrender when they spoke with him on his cellphone on Sunday after the shooting. But Stephens remains at large as the hunt for him expanded nationwide, police said.
The shooting is the latest violent incident shown on Facebook, raising questions about how the world's biggest social media network moderates content. The company on Monday said it would begin reviewing how it monitors content, in response to the shooting.
"Our reach now is basically all over this country," Cleveland Chief of Police Calvin Williams told a news conference in Cleveland. "This is what we would consider a national search."
A reward of $50,000 was being offered for information regarding Stephens' location, officials said.
Police said Stephens used Facebook Inc's service to post video of him killing Robert Godwin Sr., 74. Stephens is not believed to have known Godwin, a retired foundry worker who media reports said spent Easter Sunday morning with his son and daughter-in-law before he was killed.
Godwin was the father of nine children and grandfather of 14, his son, Robert Godwin Jr., told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Godwin Jr. could not immediately be reached by Reuters to comment.
Stephens mentioned a former girlfriend, Joy Lane, before shooting Godwin.
"I am sorry that all of this has happened," Lane told CBS News in a text message. "He was kind and loving to me and my children. This is a very difficult time for me and my family."
Reuters was not able to reach Lane by phone or email for comment.
The shooting video was visible on Facebook for nearly two hours before it was reported, the company said.
"As a result of this terrible series of events, we are reviewing our reporting flows to be sure people can report videos and other material that violates our standards as easily and quickly as possible," Justin Osofsky, a Facebook vice president, said in a blog post.
Stephens, who has no prior criminal record, is not suspected in any other murders, despite a claim he made in the video of having killed more than a dozen other people, police said.
"To be honest, we've interviewed several people involved in this and I don't think there is any rhyme or reason for it happening," Williams said.
The last confirmed sighting of Stephens was at the scene of the homicide. Police said he might be driving a white or cream-coloured Ford Fusion, and asked anyone who spots him or his car to call police or a special FBI hotline (800-CALLFBI).
Stephens had worked since 2008 as a vocational specialist and youth mentor at Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency located outside Cleveland. Beech Brook's offices were closed on Monday.
Reuters
Tue Apr 18 2017
Cleveland police widen manhunt for Facebook murder suspect
India akan belanja US$1.2 bilion dalam tujuh tahun bagi kurangkan import minyak makan
Kerajaan India pada Khamis meluluskan inisiatif untuk meningkatkan minyak bijian domestik kepada 69.7 juta tan menjelang 2030-31.
Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi minta IPT buat persediaan hadapi banjir
Beliau yakin IPT di kawasan sering terjejas banjir seperti di pantai timur mempunyai keupayaan terbaik untuk berbuat demikian.
Lebih 16,000 anggota JBPM dalam mod siap siaga hadapi banjir lebih awal
Perbezaan pada trend taburan hujan lebat tahun ini menyebabkan bomba terpaksa meletakkan semua anggota dalam mod berjaga-jaga lebih awal.
Shamsul Iskandar dakwa kesepakatan parti dalam PN kian longgar
Shamsul Iskandar berkata, perpecahan dalaman PN itu dapat diukur melalui prestasi mereka pada PRK DUN Nenggiri dan DUN Mahkota.
Suruhanjaya Eropah saman Hungary atas dakwaan pelanggaran hak asasi
Budapest gagal hilangkan kebimbangan mengenai undang-undang baharu Hungary yang bertujuan mengehadkan pembiayaan asing bagi kempen politik.
PM Pakistan gembira atas perbincangan produktif dengan PM Malaysia
Bidang-bidang utama itu termasuk perdagangan, IT, tenaga, pertanian, eksport daging halal, pelancongan, pendidikan dan pertahanan.
Rwanda catat 7 lagi kes virus Marburg dan satu lagi kematian
Rwanda mencatatkan tujuh kes baharu penyakit virus Marburg dan satu lagi kematian.
Menurut angka terkini yang dikeluarkan lewat Rabu Kementerian Kesihatan Rwanda,
jumlah keseluruhan jangkitan virus Marburg sejak wabak bermula kini sebanyak 36 kes, dengan 11 kematian dilaporkan setakat ini.
Menurut angka terkini yang dikeluarkan lewat Rabu Kementerian Kesihatan Rwanda,
jumlah keseluruhan jangkitan virus Marburg sejak wabak bermula kini sebanyak 36 kes, dengan 11 kematian dilaporkan setakat ini.
Lebih 140 sekolah UNRWA diserang sejak 7 Oktober
Lebih 140 sekolah UNRWA diserang sejak 7 Oktober dalam keadaan dimana penduduk Gaza berlindung di bawah naungan PBB.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Pesuruhjaya Agung Agensi Bantuan dan Kerja Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu untuk Pelarian Palestin (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini dalam satu hantaran di X.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Pesuruhjaya Agung Agensi Bantuan dan Kerja Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu untuk Pelarian Palestin (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini dalam satu hantaran di X.
28 petugas dilapor maut dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu di Lubnan
28 petugas kesihatan dilaporkan terbunuh dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu di Lubnan.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Ketua Pengarah Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pada Khamis.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Ketua Pengarah Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pada Khamis.
UNIFIL kekal pada posisi walaupun didesak berundur
Pasukan pengaman PBB di selatan Lubnan terus bertahan pada kedudukan mereka, di bawah mandat UNSC, walaupun diarah Israel untuk berundur.