Twitch deleted the video of the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, yesterday. The company is also “monitoring for any accounts rebroadcasting this content,” according to a statement.
Yesterday, a white 18-year-old male attacker opened fire in a supermarket in the city of Buffalo, killing 10 people and injuring three more before surrendering to law enforcement. Authorities called the attack “racially motivated violent extremism,” according to the Associated Press, and are investigating a manifesto believed to belong to the shooter, which surfaced online after the attack.
The shooter livestreamed the attack on Twitch. His account and footage of the shooting have since been deleted from the platform, according to the company, and a Twitch representative told the Hollywood Reporter the video was removed less than two minutes after the shooting began.
“We are devastated to hear about the shooting that took place this afternoon in Buffalo, New York,” Twich said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the community impacted by this tragedy. Twitch has a zero-tolerance policy against violence of any kind and works swiftly to respond to all incidents. The user has been indefinitely suspended from our service, and we are taking all appropriate action, including monitoring for any accounts rebroadcasting this content.”
The attacker was charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty, according to Insider. He is being held without bail and has a hearing scheduled for next week. He could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole, depending on the verdict on his charges.
