Man Livestreams His Own Murder on Facebook

A North Carolina man was broadcasting on Facebook Live when a gunman shot him on Monday, and some believe it was in retribution for his outing drug dealers in the community.

Prentis Robinson, 55, was streaming from his cell phone using a selfie stick as he walked home on Monday. His family and friends say this was a frequent habit of his, as he loved using the platform’s Live feature. According to a report by WSOCTV, a man with a long gun approached Robinson on Jerome Street in Wingate, North Carolina, and shot him in broad daylight. Robinson dropped his phone, and the stream showed the tops of trees and the sky. He was killed by the gunshot wound.

Robinson used Facebook Live often, but officials still marveled at the odds that he would be broadcasting in the moment he was murdered. He was walking home from the Police Station, where he’d just gone to report a family member for stealing cell phones from him.

“I’d just spoke to him, it was, I just… it’s hard to say anything about that. I just got through talking to him,” said Police Chief Donnie Gay.

Robinson only had time to exchange a few words with his attacker before the shot was fired. He stated several times “you on Live,” letting the man know that his actions were being broadcast, but he still pulled the trigger. Police hope the video evidence will help them find the killer in a timely manner.

A reporter for Fox 46 News in Charlotte tweeted that Robinson was well known for exposing suspected drug dealers in the neighborhood, which made many of his friends and family members believe that that’s why he was shot. The police chief later confirmed that Robinson was trying to get drug dealers arrested. He said he always feared Robinson would be assaulted over his vigilante justice, but never imagined he’d be shot.

Nearby Wingate University went into lockdown once the shot was heard, as well as Wingate Elementary School. Both campuses were thoroughly searched by armed police before they were cleared to reopen. The University is offering counseling for students who feel shaken by the sudden warning. The lock down struck an already tense nerve for a nation that is reeling from the recent shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Prentis Robinson had just turned 55 years old on Friday. His family is awestruck over his sudden and senseless murder.