Residents urged to be on alert for Facebook murder suspect

CORRECTS TO CLARIFY THE VIDEO WAS NOT BROADCAST ON FACEBOOK LIVE AS POLICE INITIALLY INDICATED, BUT POSTED AFTER THE KILLING - This undated photo provided by the Cleveland Police shows Steve Stephens. Cleveland police said they are searching for Stephens, a homicide suspect, who recorded himself shooting another man and then posed the video on Facebook on Sunday, April 16, 2017. (Cleveland Police via AP) CORRECTS TO CLARIFY THE VIDEO WAS NOT BROADCAST ON FACEBOOK LIVE AS POLICE INITIALLY INDICATED, BUT POSTED AFTER THE KILLING - This undated photo provided by the Cleveland Police shows Steve Stephens. Cleveland police said they are searching for Stephens, a homicide suspect, who recorded himself shooting another man and then posed the video on Facebook on Sunday, April 16, 2017. (Cleveland Police via AP)

By Associated Press April 17, 2017 3 min read

CLEVELAND (AP) – Police in Ohio urged residents in surrounding states on Monday to be on alert for a man who they said shot and killed an elderly passerby seemingly at random and then posted a gruesome video of the killing on Facebook.

Steve Stephens, 37, was wanted on a charge of aggravated murder in the death of Robert Godwin Sr. in Cleveland.

In a statement early Monday, police warned residents of Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan to be on the lookout for Stephens.

In the video, which appears shaky, Stephens gets out of his car and appears to randomly target Godwin, 74, who is holding a plastic shopping bag. Stephens says 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 tells Godwin before pointing a gun at him. Godwin can be seen shielding his face with the shopping bag.