Ronnie McNutt Video: Facebook Live Death Tape Sparks Outrage Online on Twitter, Reddit & Telegram
Ronnie McNutt was a 33-year-old army veteran who suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq. On August 31, 2020, he livestreamed his suicide on Facebook, shooting himself in the head with a rifle.
The video was horrific and graphic, and it quickly spread across various social media platforms, including TikTok, where it was viewed by millions of unsuspecting users, many of them children and teens.
This article will explore the background of Ronnie McNutt, the circumstances of his death video, the response of Facebook and other platforms, the impact of the video on the viewers, and the lessons learned from this tragic case.
Check Out the Full Video of Ronnie McNutt
Who was Ronnie McNutt?
Ronnie McNutt was born on May 23, 1987, in Mississippi, USA. He grew up in a Christian family and attended church regularly. He joined the US Army Reserve in 2006 and served in Iraq in 2007 and 2008.
He was exposed to combat and violence, which affected his mental health. He developed PTSD, a condition that causes anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, and emotional distress.
After returning from Iraq, Ronnie worked at a Toyota plant and lived in New Albany, Mississippi. He had a girlfriend, but they broke up shortly before his suicide. He also struggled with alcoholism and depression, and he had attempted suicide before.
He was known to his friends as a kind, funny, and generous person, who loved music, movies, and video games. He often used live-streaming services to talk about his life and interact with his online community.
| Name of the victim | Ronnie McNutt |
|---|---|
| Age of the victim | 33 years |
| Date of the suicide | August 31, 2020 |
| Location of the suicide | New Albany, Mississippi, USA |
| Cause of the suicide | Gunshot to the head |
| Platform of the livestream | |
| Duration of the livestream | About 2.5 hours |
| Number of viewers of the livestream | About 200 |
| Number of views of the video on TikTok | Estimated to be millions |
| Number of reports of the video to Facebook | Unknown |
| Response time of Facebook to the video | About an hour after the suicide |
| Response time of TikTok to the video | Several days after the suicide |
How did he die?
On August 31, 2020, Ronnie started a Facebook livestream around 8 pm. He was drunk and holding a rifle. He talked about his ex-girlfriend, his problems, and his suicidal thoughts. He argued with some of the viewers who tried to comfort him or dissuade him from harming himself.
He also received phone calls from his friends and family, who were worried about him and tried to reach out to him. At some point, the police arrived outside his apartment, but they did not enter.
Around 10:30 pm, Ronnie McNutt shot himself under his chin with the rifle, killing himself instantly. The livestream continued for several minutes, showing his lifeless body and the blood splattered on the wall behind him.
More than 200 people were watching the stream when he died, including his best friend, Joshua Steen, who had reported the stream to Facebook multiple times, hoping that they would cut it off. However, Facebook did not respond until 11:51 pm, when they told Steen that the video did not violate their community guidelines. By then, it was too late.
How did the video go viral?
The video of Ronnie’s suicide was public and his Facebook account was public. Anyone who had access to his profile could watch the video or download it. Some people did that and uploaded the video to other platforms, such as YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
They also created a false backstory about Ronnie, claiming that he was a TikTok star who killed himself because of a prank gone wrong, or that he was a gamer who lost a bet. These lies helped fuel the curiosity and the viral spread of the video.
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Watch Another Trending Video of him
TikTok was the platform where the video reached the most viewers, especially young ones. The video was embedded in seemingly harmless or funny clips, such as memes, dances, or challenges, and it appeared on the “For You” page, which is the main feed of the app.
Many users were shocked and traumatized by the video, which they could not avoid or report easily. Some of them expressed their anger and frustration on social media, warning others about the video and urging them to stay away from it. Others said that they had nightmares, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts after watching the video.
How did Facebook and other platforms react?
Facebook took down the video of Ronnie’s suicide from its platform on September 1, 2020, more than 12 hours after it was posted. The company said that it removed the video for violating its policies on graphic violence and suicide, and that it was working to prevent its further spread.
However, many critics accused Facebook of being too slow and ineffective in responding to the situation, and of failing to protect its users and the victim’s reputation.
TikTok also faced a lot of backlash for its handling of the video. The company said that it became aware of the video on September 6, 2020, and that it removed the original video and its copies, as well as the accounts that posted them.
The company also said that it was using technology and human moderators to detect and remove any new uploads of the video, and that it was offering support and resources to its users who were affected by the video. However, many users complained that the video was still circulating on the app, and that the reporting and blocking features were not working properly.
Other platforms, such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit, also took measures to remove the video and ban the users who shared it. However, the video was still available on some websites that specialize in gore and shock content, such as WatchPeopleDie, GoreCenter, and GoreSee.
These websites are not regulated by any authorities and they do not have any ethical or legal obligations to respect the privacy or dignity of the victims or the viewers.
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What are the impacts and implications of the video?
The video of Ronnie’s suicide has had a profound impact on many people, especially those who knew him personally or watched him online. His friends and family have expressed their grief and anger over his death and the way it was exploited by some people.
They have also tried to raise awareness about his mental health issues and the need for more support and resources for veterans and people who suffer from PTSD, depression, or suicidal thoughts. They have also set up a memorial fund for Ronnie, which has raised more than $15,000 so far.
The video has also sparked a debate about the role and responsibility of social media platforms in preventing and responding to such incidents. Many experts and advocates have called for more regulation and oversight of these platforms, as well as more transparency and accountability from them.
They have also urged them to improve their policies and practices on content moderation, user safety, and mental health support. They have also suggested that users should be more careful and critical about what they watch and share online, and that they should seek help and guidance if they are affected by such content.
The video has also raised questions about the ethics and morality of watching and sharing such content. Some people may argue that they have the right to watch or share whatever they want, as long as they do not harm anyone else.
They may also claim that they are curious, fascinated, or entertained by such content, or that they are trying to raise awareness or educate others about it. However, others may contend that watching or sharing such content is disrespectful, insensitive, or harmful to the victim, their loved ones, and the viewers themselves.
Content source: Wikipedia
