A Montgomery man was shot to death while streaming a Facebook Live video Thursday afternoon.
The victim has been identified as 34-year-old Roosevelt Rankins. Montgomery police Capt. Regina Duckett would not positively say that the man in the live video and the homicide victim were the same person, but the information she released about the deadly shooting matched the chain of events streamed live.
I can confirm that there is a live Facebook video related to this homicide, Duckett said.
Rankins father, Roosevelt Rankins Sr., confirmed his son was the man seen on the video. My family has seen it, but they have advised me not to, Rankins Sr. said Friday. This is the worst thing Ive ever been through. I wouldnt wish it on nobody.
Montgomery police and fire medics responded about 3 p.m. Thursday to the 2300 block of Stella Street on a report of a person shot. At the scene, Duckett said, they located a crash vehicle. In the vehicle, they found Rankins, the driver, who had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A man who had been in the vehicle with Rankins was not injured.
A man with the Facebook name Crum King streamed the video which lasted roughly 45 minutes. Just under 25 minutes into the video, a shadow appears to the right of the victim. He looks to his right, flinches and then gunfire can be heard.
The phone appears to drop to the floorboard. It shows the victim trying to flee the scene before the vehicle crashes and the screen goes black. The livestream, however, continued and the victim could be heard moaning.
Somebody could be heard yelling call 911 and telling the victim dont go and wake up. Ultimately, first responders get to the scene on Stella Street and the livestream eventually goes silent.
The video as of Friday morning had been viewed 228,000 times on Facebook.
Rankins Sr., who served in the U.S. Army and retired after 26 years as an Alabama Department of Corrections officer, said he got a call from his niece telling him his son had been shot. He rushed to the Stella Street scene but could not get close.
Rankins Sr. said he believes his son, who had five children, was set up, possibly for robbery. He said hes had an outpouring of support following the killing, even from former inmates who were in prison when Rankins Sr. worked there.
There are too many young black men killing young black men, Rankins Sr. said. I cant understand whats going on with our people.
The violence has to stop, he said, and Im going to step up and start speaking out about it. Im hurt.
Duckett said Friday morning no arrests have been made and no additional information is available for release. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP, Montgomery police at 334-625-2831 or the secret witness line at 334-625-4000.
Read more:
Father of Alabama man killed during Facebook Live video: The violence has to stop - AL.com
