Prentis Robinson, a 55-year-old man from Wingate, North Carolina, was tragically shot and killed on February 26, 2018. Robinson, who was African American, had just visited the Wingate Police Department to report a stolen cell phone when he was gunned down while streaming live on Facebook. The footage captured Robinson walking down the street with a cell phone attached to a selfie stick, repeatedly saying "You on Live" to someone off-camera. Moments later, the assailant, whose face was not visible, fired four shots at Robinson, causing him to fall to the ground.
The suspect in Robinson's murder was identified as 65-year-old Douglas Cleveland Colson, a lifelong resident of Wingate. Colson surrendered to the Union County Sheriff's Office the following day and was charged with first-degree murder. According to Wingate Police Chief Donnie Gay, it was unclear why Robinson was targeted, but Colson's brazenness in committing the crime so close to the police department was noted.
Robinson was well-known in his community for his efforts to improve the neighborhood, often posting videos on Facebook highlighting illicit activities like drug dealing. His friend Chester Sanders mentioned that Robinson's videos likely upset some people, which may have led to the tragic incident. Despite the lockdown of Wingate University and Wingate Elementary School following the shooting, the suspect was not believed to have been on campus.
The case drew attention to the responsibilities of social media platforms in policing disturbing content, as Facebook removed the video of Robinson's murder but faced criticism for not acting quickly enough. The incident also highlighted the potential dangers of live streaming and the need for better safeguards to protect individuals from such violent acts.
In summary, Prentis Robinson's death was a shocking and senseless act of violence that left his community in mourning and raised important questions about social media's role in public safety.
