All Posts Tagged With: "violence"

Many have the misconception that their activities in the internet can not be traced back to them so they engage in activities that they would never do if their identities were known.  As I’ve said before, the internet is not anonymous despite everything you see on your local news, on your favorite TV show or in the latest blockbuster. While the way the internet is designed provides technical information that can be used to determine someone’s identity, human nature (especially how it relates to social networking sites) also provides clues that can be used to find a person.

Two weeks ago Asia McGowan was gunned down by a classmate that happened to be obsessed with her. This classmate spoke of killing her and committing suicide in his videos on YouTube. This was reported to Detroit police, however, they were unable to see the video and therefore did not act to prevent her death. The fact of the matter is that most local police departments are ill-equipped to deal with any kind of crime involving the internet. That is where we as internet citizens come in.

I found out about a story from Jessie X where a teenager recorded himself abusing a cat and posted the video on YouTube. He was swiftly brought to justice because of the actions of internet citizens like you and me.  Here’s an account of what happened by Alan Ferguson:

I monitored the online discussion of the Anonymous with a strange sense of excitement about the endeavor.  It was interesting to see them:

• Track down the YouTube account’s zip code
• Facebook and MySpace search for the zipcode and username
• Confirm they had found his MySpace page (via an image showing the same carpet and background as found in the video)
• Confirm the boy’s Facebook page
• Confirm that his name is  Kenny Glenn
• Post the boy’s name, age, location, school everywhere
• Post the boy’s mothers’ name, cell #, work address and work phone
• Post the number to the local news station and the sheriff’s office
• Flood the news station and local law enforcement with phone calls and emails explaining the situation

The same day the teenager was arrested complete with news coverage of the arrest.  If all of that can be done to save a cat, shouldn’t we do the same to save the life of a human being?

Photo credit: Pinot & Dita

I just read the shocking story of how college student Asia McGowen was gunned down by her stalker Anthony Powell who then killed himself. He had been stalking Asia on YouTube and Facebook, leaving her nasty and threatening comments. He had also made videos about her as well as other videos railing against black women, atheist and other topics. While he used YouTube and Facebook to stalk her, he actually knew Asia from a class at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan.  Since he shot her at point blank range it was likely that she had no idea that Powell was her stalker (they were in a classroom together alone when he shot her).

According to YouTuber infamoustrag, Powell made a video saying that he had a shotgun and was going to use it to kill himself or the object of his affection, Asia. He reported it to Detroit police who were unable to watch the video.

A lot of the focus seems to be on her being on YouTube and Facebook (a lot of blaming the victim) completely disregarding that Powell actually knew McGowen in real life and was obsessed with her.  He knew her from school not Facebook or YouTube.  He most likely would have attempted to do this anyway without use of the internet. While YouTube and Facebook were the method Powell used to harrass McGowan, they could have saved her life if anyone had taken the threats seriously. Most times after incidents like this all the people come out of the woodwork to say “We never thought he’d do something like this,” but in this case it was all over the internet. The internet is not anonymous (even when you register for a site with bogus information they know where you are). Had they complained to YouTube and Facebook they may have been able to get information on the source of the threats to identify this guy before this happened. The police definitely could have gotten this information from Google or Facebook.

I think that we as internet citizens need to be more vigilant when we see threatening or other behavior that can hurt others. The video where the guys say what he’s going to do should have been on the news and police should have been at his door. Save the threatening material on your own computer and don’t trust that it will still be on YouTube, Facebook, MySpace or wherever later. Local police departments are mostly clueless when it comes to the internet so if we really feel that something is going to happen we might have to bug them to death (and hold their hands to understand) to get them involved in a case. There’s a lot that YouTube and Facebook can do as well but many don’t know that if they are contacted by law enforcement they can be compelled to give information about particular users. But I think the most can be done with users being vigilant about threats – take them seriously, report it to the authorities (not just to the service provider) and MAKE them respond.

I went to the candlelight vigil for DeAnthony Henson last night. I did not know DeAnthony; instead, I know one of his sisters from the Coaching for College Program. I learned a lot about DeAnthony, though, in that hour or so.

DeAnthony had been in trouble when he was young and had been sent to Oak Hill Youth Center. He became a focused young man while at the facility. He had goals on what he wanted his life to be. He mentored the younger kids and the staff members had nothing but good things to say about him, referring to him as a bright star. They knew he was going places in life.

At the time he was killed, he had been saving for a car and was preparing to move into a new apartment. According to his sister, he had already packed up his apartment for the move. He would also soon be starting a construction job full time. He was very much into family. He and his girlfriend of three years had plans for the future.

DeAnthony was involved with Earth Conservation Corporation (ECC) and Peaceoholics. Representatives of both organizations attended the vigil to speak DeAnthony’s praises. In addition to DeAnthony’s family, his long-time girlfriend, and representatives of ECC and Peaceoholics, representatives from the Mayor’s office also spoke about how good a kid DeAnthony was.

In this video shot less than one month before he was killed, DeAnthony is asked about why he was involved with Earth Conservation Corporation. I was impressed with his answer.

The neighbors in the Southwest community, in the shadows of the almost completed Washington Nationals stadium, where he was killed, spoke up to tell the police what happened which is rare in DC. According to witnesses, “friend” of his shot him. No one knows the reason as yet. The friend has been arrested. At the vigil the family thanked those that spoke to the police.

Violence in DC many times does not discriminate. There have been several cases this year where innocent people, many times children were killed just for being outside. I also found the another member of the Earth Conservation Corporation was gunned down earlier this year as he sat outside his house. This kid, too, had turned his life around, having become an important community journalist, activist, and youth advocate. Ironically just before his murder, that particular kid was producing a final video piece about putting an end to the gun violence endemic in his community.

It is sad that kids that have changed their lives for the better are being killed. Something has to be done.

Tags: senseless violence murder washington dc deanthony henson