Police in Ohio urged the residents in surrounding states on Monday to be on alert for a man who they said had shot and killed an elderly passerby seemingly at random and later posted a gruesome video of the killing on Facebook. Steve Stephens, aged 37, was wanted on the charge of aggravated murder in the death of Robert Godwin Sr. in Cleveland. In a statement made on early Monday, police warned the residents of Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and also Michigan to be on the lookout for Stephens, who they said may have traveled out of the state.
In the video, that appears shaky, Stephens gets out of his car and appears to randomly target Robert Godwin, aged 74, who is holding a plastic shopping bag. Stephens said the name of a woman, whom Godwin does not seem to recognize.
“She’s the reason that this is about to happen to you,” Stephens told to Godwin before pointing a gun at him. Godwin was seen shielding his face with the shopping bag.
Facebook said that the suspect did go live on the social media website at one point during the day, but not at the time of killing. Police in Ohio earlier had said that Stephens had broadcast it on Facebook Live.
The gruesome video of the killing was on Facebook for about three hours before it was removed. Stephens Facebook page was also eventually removed.
The victim’s son, Robert Godwin Jr., told to Cleveland.com that he cannot bring himself to watch the video.
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He said that his father, who is a retired foundry worker, collected aluminum cans and also often walked with a plastic shopping bag, picking cans up if he saw them on the ground. The son said that he believed his father was looking for cans on Sunday when Stephens approached him.
In another video posted on Facebook, Stephens claimed to have killed more than a dozen other people.
“Like I said, I killed 13, so I’m working on 14 as we speak,” he said.
Police have not yet verified any other shootings or deaths, said Police Chief Calvin Williams.
Police said that they have been talking with family and friends of Stephens, who is a case manager at the Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency headquartered in the Pepper Pike, near Cleveland.
In one of the videos posted, Stephens can be seen holding up his Beech Brook employee identification badge.
Stephens also mentioned that his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, in one of his Facebook posts. The fraternity issued a statement on Sunday night.
Police said Stephens should be considered as armed and dangerous.
The FBI said that it was assisting in the investigation.
Mrudula Duddempudi.
