CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Over the past three months, Channel 9 has noticed more people are showing up at crime scenes, and then going “live” on Facebook.
When protests erupted in Charlotte, Chris Valdivia said he followed a series of videos from friends. He shot video of a Walmart after it was looted and SWAT officers took control of the situation. His video is no longer online, but Valdivia said he wanted to “Facebook Live” from the scene because he wanted to show the truth.
"So I just wanted to be here, see what I could find out for myself,” Valdivia said. “Be a part of an unfortunate part of history. I wanted to be here and film it live so the people I'm friends and close with can see what's really happening.”
UNC Charlotte Psychology professor Anita Blanchard said research shows that live videos are emotional drivers, and there is a growing movement to use them as a way to hold authorities accountable.
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"Something that captures their attention is going to influence how they will use it in the future," Blanchard said. She told Channel 9 that people are still figure out how to use the technology.
"This is a new live sense of community that simply wasn't possible before, that you can see all these different videos in real time experience, become involved in it, show up at these locations,” Blanchard said. “It's completely new and we don't know what we are going to see come out of this."
In October, police were negotiating with an armed suspect in North Charlotte. When it ended peacefully, Braden Smallwood said he "Facebook Lived" it.
Smallwood said he was upset with police.
"Police told me that I had to take my family and evacuate,” he said. “I told them I'm not leaving in the cold with my children. He started yelling."
In Smallwood's Facebook Live video, he crossed the area officers had blocked off with crime tape, and broadcasted the officers who surrounded him.
"They out here for a hostage situation, but they got us surrounded, bro,” Smallwood said in the video. “I see you back there bro, I see you."
HOW TO: Learn how to use Facebook Live
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesperson Rob Tufano said that the officers did the right thing by allowing Smallwood to record video, and said he is not surprised that more people want to broadcast the actions of police officers.
However, he also said in some cases that it's a problem.
"Where we really have issues is where someone is trying to encroach on a crime scene,” Tufano told Channel 9. “Where someone intentionally or unintentionally hinders or constructs pedestrian traffic or vehicular traffic -- putting their self in danger, someone else in danger."
Tufano said there is no law against recording live video, and it can even be helpful sometimes to have an extra set of eyes.
"There's a way about doing it though that should be done in a safe matter that isn't going to get in the way of our investigations," he said.
Tufano also said the department sees the value in social media, and is working to improve its presence online, which may even include going live on Facebook themselves.
He said citizens can record video of officers as long as they stay back from the scene, and let officers know what they are doing.
If things escalate, more officers or resources could be brought into crime scenes.
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