BUFFALO, N.Y. — WARNING: The video in this article contains distressing content.
A horrific murder was caught on camera and shared on social media for the whole world to see.
The video, which the attention of thousands, shows 25-year-old Abdul Hussein allegedly shooting his co-worker in the head at a corner store located on Broadway near Sears Street. Buffalo Police responded to the scene at around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and found a 62-year-old victim dead in the store.
The user who posted the video claimed to have shared it as a warning to the general public.
“Graphic. Don’t watch it if you have a soft stomach,” the user Amir King wrote. “I’m showing this video to show you how sick people can be. This man killed him in front of a kid. Started eating food like it was nothing. Sometimes it’s better to leave when arguments start. Not worth losing your life.”
Despite receiving mixed reactions from the public tonight, King stood by his decision to post it.
Security experts are placing blame on Facebook and its guidelines.
“I think it would be very hard to justify what good comes of Facebook posting a video of a homicide,” said Jeff Rinaldo, Partner at Vista Security Group.
After 2 on your side reached out to Facebook about the video this evening, the social media giant placed the video behind a sensitive content warning that, when expanded, states that the video does not go against their standards.
Facebook told 2 on your side in a statement that the social media platform only “removes videos and photos that show the violent death of someone when a family member requests its removal.”
“How is Facebook vetting who is a direct relative of anybody in the United States or abroad?” Rinaldo said. “That a pretty wide-ranging statement to make, and how do they vet that?”
“I don't think as a parent I would want my children stumbling across this or a teenager or really anybody else, for that matter. So what good comes of showing this type of content?”
Security experts believe that this content being out there could have bigger implications like influencing a jury in trial.
Hussein is scheduled to return to court Monday for a felony hearing. He is facing a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.