This Gunman Is On The Run After He Killed A Man On Facebook Live

By Callie Byrnes,
Twitter / @CLEpolice and via Facebook Live

Cleveland authorities have issued a manhunt for Steve Stephens, who posted a video of himself killing an elderly man to Facebook Live this past Sunday.

The video, which shows Stephens getting out of his car to approach and shoot 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr, went viral around 2 p.m. on Easter. In it, he said to the camera, “Imma kill this guy right here — this old dude.” He then turned to Godwin and said, “Hi, can you do me a favor? Can you say ‘Joy Lane?’”

When Godwin repeated the name, Stephens said, “Yeah, she’s the reason all this is about to happen to you,” and pulled the trigger on the man. Lane is believed to be Stephens ex-girlfriend, according to CBS.

In another video, Stephens said that he just “snapped” and called it the “Easter Sunday massacre” after claiming that he had already killed 13 others, though authorities have found no evidence that this claim is true.

“I’m going to keep killing until they catch me,” he added, telling the camera that he was working on his 14th victim “as we speak.”

Stephens’ Facebook page has since been deactivated and Facebook released a statement regarding the videos:

“This is a horrific crime and we do not allow this kind of content on Facebook. We take our responsibility to keep people safe on Facebook very seriously, and are in touch with law enforcement in emergencies when there are direct threats to physical safety.”

While authorities are searching for Stephens, the Cleveland Division of Police released a statement asking the residents of Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan to be on alert. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

About the author

Callie Byrnes

Callie joined Thought Catalog as an intern in 2017 and now works as the Editorial Director for its sister site, Collective World. She enjoys writing personal essays and articles about pop culture, astrology, and tarot. She published her first book, ‘The Words We Left Behind,’ in 2024.

These are the “Words We Left Behind.”

These are the “Words We Left Behind.”

My favorite memories are the ones that never seem noteworthy—the ones you never tell at parties or recount to your family, the ones that don’t have a plot or a reason. There’s something in those excerpts of life, something so beautifully, achingly human.

These are the moments that matter the most.

These are the words we leave behind.

This debut collection written by Callie Byrnes is bound in a beautifully textured uncoated cover featuring gold leaf foil.

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