Cleveland Police
Citizen tipsters reportedly led authorities to Steve Stephens, the 37-year-old man who fatally shot a man in Cleveland and posted the video on Facebook before escaping the city. “It was a citizen tip, and then we were able to get a patrol unit out there on scene, and that is when the pursuit happened,” Cpl. Adam Reed of the Pennsylvania State Police told reporters on Tuesday. The New York Times later reported that police were tipped off by employees of a McDonald’s that Stephens patronized before being caught. “Henry Sayers, the restaurant’s manager, said in an interview that Mr. Stephens bought a 20-piece order of Chicken McNuggets and a large order of French fries for $5.35 at the drive-through.” The report continued: “Mr. Stephens was given his order of McNuggets, but workers tried to make him wait by holding on to his French fries while calling the police after one of the workers recognized him as the subject of the manhunt. ‘But he just took his nuggets and said, ‘I have to go,’ and he drove off,’ Mr. Sayers said, adding that Mr. Stephens did not speed away but left the restaurant at a normal clip.” Stephens was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his car after police briefly pursued him. On Sunday, Stephens shot 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr., a father of nine and grandfather of 14, at random as Godwin was walking home after an Easter meal with his family.