A North Carolina man live-streamed his own murder on Facebook Live, and authorities are still looking for the killer.
Facebook Live is a popular tool for Facebook users, allowing them to film themselves or their surroundings and broadcast it live on the social network so that their friends or others can see it in real time.
Facebook Live Streaming
On Feb. 26, 55-year-old Prentis Robinson was streaming on Facebook Live, as he frequently did. His Facebook page is full of live videos of Robinson walking down the street and filming himself with the help of a selfie stick, or playing various instruments.
In the live video, Robinson was talking about a relative who allegedly stole one of his three phones. As WSOC-TV, a CNN affiliate, reports, Robinson started live streaming on Facebook after dropping by the Wingate Police Department to report the purported theft.
Man Streams Own Murder On Facebook Live
The Facebook Live video in question showed Robinson leaving the police station and walking toward his home when he told another man that they were on live video. The man opened fire and shot Robinson, who dropped to the ground with his phone in his hand.
The killer shot Robinson just one block away from the police station. Although Robinson streamed his murder on Facebook Live, the killer is still at large. The shooter fired five shots and killed Robinson.
The killer's face was not visible, but Wingate police chief Donnie Gay says that he was wearing blue jeans, brown boots, and a windbreaker with black and blue. Facebook has since removed the live video showing Robinson's murder.
Wingate Murder Suspect Still At Large
Police identified the suspect as 65-year-old Douglas Cleveland Colson and are now looking for him. Colson is wanted on a murder charge but is still at large.
Just in—warrants are out for Douglas Colson for the murder of Prentis Robinson in Wingate today. Police believe Colson who is from Marshville, shot Robinson on College Street today while Robinson was on Facebook Live possibly “outing” Local suspected drug dealers. pic.twitter.com/bzfBlwQsnX— Greg Suskin (@GSuskinWSOC9) February 27, 2018
Shortly after Robinson's murder, Wingate University put its campus on lockdown, urging people to take cover as shots were fired near its CM Black dorm. The university is less than a mile away from the crime scene. Robinson was found dead on a nearby street, face down. The university eventually lifted the lockdown, as advised by the police.
Gay says that it remains unclear why the killer targeted Robinson, but shooting him so close to the police station, on live video nonetheless, is shocking.
"Only being a block or so away from the police department - if that's not brazen I don't know what is," notes the police chief. "It's heart breaking. I can't believe it."
