Facebook Investigates Pages Tied to Kenosha Protest Shooting

(Bloomberg) — Facebook Inc. is investigating content on its service that was linked to a deadly shooting Tuesday night in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after a protest against police brutality turned violent.

The shooting, which killed two people, has been designated as a “violating incident,” meaning any posts or videos that praise the event or the shooter will be removed, a company spokeswoman said. The social network has removed the alleged shooter’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, and has also taken down a page titled “Kenosha Guard,” the spokeswoman said. The page was promoting a “call to arms” event, encouraging users to “Protect our Lives and Property,” according to The Verge.

Facebook said it doesn’t believe the suspect was following the page, or invited to the event, but the page was removed for violating Facebook’s policy around militia organizations.

“At this time, we have not found evidence on Facebook that suggests the shooter followed the Kenosha Guard Page or that he was invited on the Event Page they organized,” the spokeswoman said in a statement. She also confirmed the company is working with local and federal law enforcement agencies.

Protests have raged for the past three nights following the shooting of a black man by Kenosha police officers over the weekend. A 17-year-old from Illinois was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide after two people were fatally shot. Facebook said it is blocking people from creating new Facebook or Instagram accounts with the suspect’s name, and has added a warning label to videos of the shooting that are being shared.

(Includes Facebook statement and details about account removal.)

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