Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 18 april 2017
At Press Time:

Man accused of Facebook video killing said he ‘just snapped’

MARK GILLISPIE “He could be nearby. He said Alexis Lee, a friend who had been in a relationship
Associated Press could be far away or any- saw Stephens last week. for several years. I am sor-
CLEVELAND (AP) — In a where in between,” FBI The police chief said: “We ry that all of this has hap-
rambling video, Steve Ste- agent Stephen Anthony are not going to pinpoint a pened.” She said Stephens
phens said, “I snapped, I said. specific thing and say this was “a nice guy” who was
just snapped.” But as the Law enforcement officials is what triggered this, be- generous to everyone.
manhunt dragged on said his cellphone sig- cause we don’t know.” The video of the killing was
Monday for the man ac- nal was last detected on Godwin’s daughter said he on Facebook for about
cused of posting Facebook Sunday afternoon in Erie, was killed while collecting three hours before it was
footage of himself killing a Pennsylvania, about 100 cans in a plastic shopping taken down.
retiree, police were unable miles (160 kilometers) east bag. Investigators said that God-
to explain what set him off. of Cleveland. “Not because he need- win was the only victim so
“Only Steve knows that,” Police reported getting ed the money, it was just far linked to Stephens, de-
Cleveland police Chief dozens and dozens of tips, something he did,” said spite his claim in a separate
Calvin Williams said as au- and nine schools in Phila- 52-year-old Debbie God- video on Facebook that he
thorities posted a $50,000 delphia were locked down win. “That’s all he was do- killed more than a dozen
reward for Stephens’ cap- This undated photo provided Monday while authorities ing. He wasn’t harming people.
ture in the shooting of Rob- by the Cleveland Police shows investigated possible sight- anyone.” Detectives spoke with Ste-
ert Godwin Sr., a 74-year- Steve Stephens. Cleveland ings of Stephens. But they She said her father, who phens on Sunday by cell-
old former foundry worker. police said they are search- said there was no sign he had 10 children, was a phone and tried to per-
ing for Stephens, a homicide
In the video, Stephens suspect, who recorded him- was actually there. gentle man with nothing
blamed a former girlfriend self shooting another man Some of those who know mean about him. suade him to surrender,
he had lived with, say- and then posed the video on Stephens described him as In the shooting video, Ste- police said.
ing he woke up last week Facebook on Sunday, April pleasant and kind, while phens told Godwin a wom- Stephens worked at Beech
and “couldn’t take it any- 16, 2017. some said he had a gam- an’s name and said, “She’s Brook, a social services
more.” But in a statement (Cleveland Police via AP) bling problem. He filed for the reason that this is about agency in suburban Cleve-
Monday, the woman shed bankruptcy two years ago. to happen to you.” The vic- land that deals with vul-
little light on what might ing Easter with some of his In another video posted to tim did not seem to recog- nerable young people. He
have gone wrong and said children. Facebook, Stephens said nize the woman’s name. helped them gain job skills
Stephens was good to her A manhunt that started in that he gambled away ev- The gunman then pointed and find employment, said
and her children. Cleveland’s gritty east side erything and that he and a weapon at Godwin, who Beech Brook spokeswom-
As for the shooting victim, expanded rapidly into a his girlfriend had planned shielded his face with the an Nancy Kortemeyer.
Godwin appeared to have nationwide search for Ste- to marry but didn’t, without plastic bag. An extensive background
been selected at random, phens, a 37-year-old job saying why. The woman Stephens check before he was hired
gunned down while pick- counselor who worked with “He got along with every- spoke of, Joy Lane, said turned up nothing worri-
ing up aluminum cans Sun- teens and young adults, body, so it’s just unbeliev- in a text to CBS that “we some, she said. q
day afternoon after spend- police said. able what happened,”
Survivalist researched escaping
manhunts before fatal ambush

MICHAEL RUBINKAM The survivalist claimed to
Associated Press police on the night of his
MILFORD, Pa. (AP) — An arrest that he had planned
anti-government survivalist the sniper attack only a few
charged with ambushing days earlier, but his internet
two troopers at a state po- search history suggests he
lice barracks did research had been mulling over it for
on how to escape a man- a lot longer.
hunt more than a year Frein used the internet
before the deadly attack, while he was on the run,
according to evidence too, performing dozens of
presented Monday at his searches of his own name,
murder trial. both alone and in conjunc-
Eric Frein’s laptop was used tion with words like gun,
to search online for “how evidence and manhunt.
to escape a manhunt” and He sought out his wanted
“how are manhunts con-
ducted” in May 2013. poster and did research on
Frein avoided capture for Dickson, according to the
48 days before U.S. mar- testimony.
shals caught him at an And, prosecutors say, he
abandoned airplane han- wrote a letter to his parents.
gar more than 20 miles The letter, read to jurors
from the Blooming Grove Monday, was recovered
barracks in northeastern from a computer thumb
Pennsylvania, where au- drive found at the hangar.
thorities say he killed Cpl. Addressed to “Mom and
Bryon Dickson II and criti- Dad,” it spoke of revolution
cally wounded Trooper and said, “The time seems
Alex Douglass on Sept. 12, right for a spark to ignite a
2014. fire in the hearts of men.” q