Why Did Facebook Keep a Man’s Livestreamed Suicide Up for Hours?
– Ronnie McNutt –
This is the story of Ronnie McNutt, who shot himself in the head while live streaming on Facebook. Continue reading to learn more about him.
Biography
Ronnie McNutt (May 23, 1987 – August 31, 2020) was a Mississippi resident who had served in the military in Iraq.
McNutt worked at a Toyota plant in New Albany and appeared to have led a normal life, but he was known to have suffered from mental health issues such as depression.
Also, post-traumatic stress disorder as well broke up with his girlfriend.
Some media reports also claimed that he lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic, though Rolling Stone refuted this.
McNutt was a devout Christian who attended church on a regular basis.
The Video Case of Ronnie McNutt’s Death
Ronald Merle “Ronnie” McNutt, a 33-year-old American man, fatally shot himself in the head on August 31, 2020, during a Facebook Livestream that went viral on social media platforms.
The case became notable for both the callous attitude expressed by some Internet users toward McNutt’s death, as well as Facebook’s slow response to the video.
However, the video had been shared on numerous other platforms and had amassed a large view count before being removed.
TikTok, the video platform, was slow to respond to the video.
Which had appeared in many users’ feeds and was constantly re-uploaded, prompting many users to boycott the platform.
The case has raised awareness about suicide prevention as well as the duty of care that social media platforms have to protect users’ and victims’ online reputations when it comes to graphic content.
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Video of Suicide
McNutt began a Facebook Livestream on August 31, 2020. Joshua Steen, his best friend, came across the stream.
He didn’t think it was unusual at first because McNutt had done live streams before.
His best friend became concerned when he noticed McNutt was intoxicated and holding a shotgun.
Steen allegedly tried to intervene several times.
Most notably when McNutt misfired the gun, hoping that Facebook would cut off the stream and end the video feed, preventing people from seeing into McNutt’s home while Steen sought police intervention.
Facebook refused to cut the stream, claiming that it did not violate the platform’s guidelines.
Soon after, McNutt shot himself in the head, causing his pet dog to wander into the room.
A number of people who were present recorded the stream.
Despite being called to the scene during the Livestream, the New Albany Police Department did not enter McNutt’s apartment until after he had died.
Police Chief Chris Robertson had secured the perimeter, evacuated nearby residents, and tried unsuccessfully to communicate with McNutt via speakerphone.
Ronnie McNutt’s final message was later discovered on Facebook, declaring, “Someone in your life needs to know that they are important to you and that they are cherished.
They believe they have a future. You must be the one to inform them ”
The Viral Spread
Users uploaded videos of McNutt’s suicide to social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
This made users scroll over it without warning as the suicide automatically played. with the apparent intent of frightening viewers as a form of trolling.
Within the first few days after the suicide, the hashtag #ronniemcnutt received 15.6 million views on TikTok.
Despite the platforms’ efforts to remove the videos, new uploads from separate accounts began to appear.
Links to the video began to appear in Reddit’s true crime communities.
As TikTok’s algorithms detected the video, uploaders avoided detection by placing the video after pictures of unrelated, innocuous content.
The Public’s Reaction
The incident was compared to the suicides of anchorwoman Christine Chubbuck and politician Budd Dwyer, both of whom were filmed.
The general online reaction was one of sympathy for McNutt. Users used the case to discuss mental health and suicide prevention, as well as concern about the video’s widespread distribution.
Some TikTok users threatened to boycott the platform until the suicide video was completely removed. Others began posting prayers and messages in respect and remembrance for McNutt.
Many parents reported that their children were extremely upset after seeing the video. One girl became physically ill and had to sleep with the lights on.
Another parent expressed concern that her children, who discovered the video on TikTok by accident, may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
FAQs on Ronnie McNutt
1. When was McNutt Born?
He was born on May 23, 1987
2. How Old was he When he Died?
He was 33 years old
3. How did McNutt Die
He shot himself
4. Which Year did McNutt Die
He died in the year 2020
5. On Which Social Media Platform was McNutt Live Streaming the Day he Died?
He was on Facebook
6. Was he with Anyone on the day he Died?
Yes, he was with his best friend
7. What was McNutt’s Final Message?
“Someone in your life needs to know that they are important to you and that they are cherished. They believe they have a future. You must be the one to inform them “
8. What was the Name of his Best Friend?
His best friend’s name was Joshua Steen
9. What was McNutt’s occupation?
He was a Mississippi resident who had served in the military in Iraq
10. Does he Have Any Mental Health Issues?
Yes, he suffered from depression
The video of Ronnie McNutt’s suicide went viral on August 31, 2020, and took nearly three hours to remove in the first place, by which time it had been viewed and downloaded by tens of thousands of people.
