Steve Stephens: Cleveland Police Search for Facebook Killer
Cleveland police are searching for a suspect who fatally shot a “random” victim and posted the footage on Facebook.
Steve Stephens, 37, later said in a separate video post that he had killed 13 people and was looking to kill more.
Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams confirmed one killing but said they did not know of any other victims.
Calvin Williams said that “multiple forces” were looking for Steve Stephens, who “needs to turn himself in”.
The victim has been identified by Cleveland police as Robert Godwin, 74.
At a news conference on April 16, police chief Calvin Williams said: “There is no need for any further bloodshed in this incident tonight.
“We need to bring this to a conclusion today.”
He added: “We need to get Steve from the streets.”
He said that authorities had put out alerts “in the state of Ohio and beyond” over the “senseless” incident, and urged people not to approach the suspect, who he said was likely to remain armed and dangerous.
Image source Facebook
The Cleveland PD issued a photo of Steve Stephens on its website, describing him as a 6ft 1in (1.9m) tall black male of medium complexion.
Steve Stephens is thought to be driving a white or cream-colored SUV.
Calvin Williams said that the victim appeared to have been selected at random in what he described as a “senseless” murder.
He added that Steve Stephens “clearly has a problem” and urged him to come forward in order to “receive the help that he needs”.
The FBI is collaborating with local police as it investigates the incident, CNN reports.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said that he wanted Steve Stephens to know that “he will eventually be caught”.
A fundraising page set up to help the family of Robert Godwin had received more than half of its target of $20,000 within hours of publication.
Facebook said in a statement on April 16 that it co-operates fully with the authorities in incidents where there are “direct threats to physical safety”.
Responding to the reports involving Steve Stephens, Facebook said that it was “a horrific crime”, adding that it “does not allow this kind of content” on its site.
It is not the first time that a fatal shooting has been posted or streamed on Facebook.
In June 2016, a man was shot dead while live-streaming a video of himself on the streets of Chicago. In March, an unidentified man was shot 16 times while broadcasting live.
Facebook’s live-streaming feature, which was launched in 2010, allows anyone to broadcast online in real time.