Law enforcement authorities waged a multistate manhunt on Monday as they combed their cities and towns for signs of a man who posted a video of a fatal shooting in Cleveland on Facebook.
The search, fueled by rumor and speculation on social media, had stretched to Philadelphia by Monday afternoon. Police there confirmed that they had received multiple calls stating that the wanted man, Steve Stephens, had been seen at the Belmont Plateau park area in the western part of the city.
In a statement, the authorities in Philadelphia said that so far, there was “no indication” that the suspect was actually at the plateau, but the police were searching the area; school police locked down eight nearby elementary schools and one high school as a precaution, the authorities said.
At an earlier news conference, officials in Cleveland said they did not know the whereabouts of Mr. Stephens, 37, who was being sought in what they said was a random shooting of Robert Godwin Sr., 74. (The police initially identified him as Robert Goodwin Sr.)
A warrant for Mr. Stephens for a charge of aggravated murder has been issued, and the police asked residents of Indiana, Michigan, New York, northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania to be on alert. Mr. Stephens said in a video on Sunday that he had killed multiple people, but the police said there was only one known victim.
Chief Calvin D. Williams of the Cleveland Police Department said detectives have been “unceasingly” pursuing leads since the shooting took place at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
“We’re still asking Steve to turn himself in and, if he doesn’t, we’ll find him,” the chief said.
The authorities did not know Mr. Stephens’ location or condition. Stephen D. Anthony, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Cleveland division, said, “At this point, he could be a lot of places.”
Chief Williams said detectives had talked to Mr. Stephens on the phone, but he did not elaborate. Mr. Stephens had many motor vehicle violations but no criminal record, he said. continue reading...