We talk a lot here at Fstoppers about the beautiful things that photography has done in the world. Maybe I am naive but I never imagined that art could be used support crime. Yet here it is, and while not actually "art" by any stretch of the imagination an anonymous Instagram user is getting people killed with images. Rats215, the account in question, has posted pictures, police statements and testimony identifying more than 30 witnesses since February according to the Philadelphia Inquirer (source). It had nearly 8,000 followers and had been updated almost daily until law enforcement shut down the account.
Witness intimidation isn't anything new in the world, we all know that. Somehow I just never imagined that a forum for food photos and embarrassing selfies could be used to put lives in danger.
Via PetaPixel
Instead of shutting it down, they should have tracked it back to it's source.
They are not going to say evrything they do with the info come on....
The police shutdown the account. OK, but did they arrest the owner of the account? Even if the person used fake info to setup the account, it's traceable. Furthermore, witness intimidation is illegal. Heck, there might even be a case for accessory to murder, albeit a stretch.
I think they might be able to get them on the murder on federal anti-mob laws. Not 100% sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they went that route.
very disturbing. were any witnesses killed as a result of this account? the language in the article suggests there have been.