Police in Cleveland were searching for a homicide suspect who they said broadcast a videotaped killing on Facebook and claimed to have committed “multiple other homicides” that authorities had yet to verify.
Around midnight, police tweeted that an aggravated murder warrant had been issued for the suspect, Steve Stephens, and warned residents of Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan to be on alert.
Stephens, a 6-foot 1-inch African-American man, said on Facebook that he had committed an "Easter day slaughter." Police late Sunday said they couldn't identify other homicide victims but "continue to search multiple areas."
Stephens was reported to be driving a light-colored Ford Fusion. Police called him armed and dangerous. He was last seen wearing a dark blue and gray or black striped polo shirt.
Police identified the victim as Robert Godwin Sr., 74.
In the video, which appears shaky, Stephens gets out of his car and appears to randomly target Godwin, who was walking on a sidewalk carrying a 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 told Godwin before pointing a gun at him. Godwin can be seen shielding his face with the shopping bag.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson publicly urged Stephens to turn himself in to police and not to “do any more harm to anybody.”