A deadly shooting captured on Facebook live has left a local Detroit celebrity dead. According to officials, Terrell Smith, 46, of Ypsilanti Township, had become a local celebrity due to his popular Facebook Live broadcasts.
He was well-known for his "brutally honest" "Rells Corner" live feeds.
On June 28, Smith broadcast a Facebook Live video in which he spoke to the camera and pledged his loyalty to Ypsilanti.
“What makes y’all think because y’all moved that ya’ll better than Ypsi?” Smith said . “Y’all aren’t better than Ypsi. Ya’ll a product of Ypsi.”
Authorities said that he got into a heated argument with someone who was making comments during the live. According to authorities, that person was making threats to Smith.
Smith said on the live, "Now y'all on Facebook, "I'm riding around with 60 shots."
Minutes later, someone drove up to Smith's home in Ypsilanti Township while thousands of others were still watching, according to the authorities.
On the stream, Smith stated: “OK, we’ve got action!”
Smith was hit after, according to the police, more than 30 rounds were fired.
The neighbor can be heard calling 911, but the shooting was not visible on the live stream.
Before Facebook was notified and the video was taken down, it had been viewed 37,000 times.
When they got on the scene, deputies from the Washenaw County Sheriff's Office claimed they discovered Smith suffering from numerous gunshot wounds.
He was taken to a local hospital by medical personnel, but he later passed away from his wounds, according to officials.
On Friday, July 1, three protesters were arrested in connection to Smith's death.
Jermia Castion, 25, of Ypsilanti, and Martita Bonner, 41, of Ypsilanti Township, were charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit homicide. According to officials, they are being held at the Washtenaw County Jail under a $1 million bond.
According to authorities, a 24-year-old Ypsilanti resident was arrested in Georgia. Officials said that he is currently being returned to Washtenaw County and that charges are still pending.