The family of a Cleveland retiree whose shooting death was recorded and shared on Facebook is suing the social media company for failing to notify authorities about threats posted by the shooter.
The wrongful death lawsuit filed over the April slaying of Robert Godwin Sr. calls Facebook negligent because it has extensive data-mining capabilities but didn't catch and report the shooter's threats of violence before the shooting.
A lawyer for Facebook didn't address those specific allegations in a statement to NBC, first reported by WJW-TV, but she expressed sympathy for Godwin's family and noted that content violating Facebook's policies is removed when users report it.
Facebook declined to comment about the allegations in the lawsuit.
Gunman Steve Stephens shared video of shooting the 74-year-old Godwin along a Cleveland street. The 37-year-old Stephens killed himself two days later after a police chase in Erie, Pennsylvania.
