https://storify.com/mkramer/how-twitter-tracked-down-the-suspects-from-a-ppd-v
How Twitter May Have Helped Track Down the Suspects from a Philadelphia Police Surveillance Video
On September 16, 2014 the Philadelphia Police released surveillance video of the suspects accused of a hate crime on the 1600 block of Chancellor Street. Within hours, they were possibly IDed by people on Twitter.
The Philadelphia Police released this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD8MglUjA50 on September 16, 2014 and asked for the public's help in identifying the people in the video.
After the video was released, a Twitter user named @GreggyBennett then tweeted out another photo allegedly showing the same suspects at a restaurant.
How did he get the photo?
Greg Bennett ✔ @GreggyBennett
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@radiocolin friend of a friend of a friend saw my tweet to the article w vid - sent me the pic. I wanted to get the word out.
A Twitter user named @FanSince09 retweeted @GreggyBennett's photo and lots of people immediately wrote him to say the restaurant was La Viola
Michael Shepherd @MichaelShep
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@FanSince09 la viola. It's the first picture on their events page. http://laviolaphiladelphia.com/west/events.html …
7:47 PM - 16 Sep 2014
@FanSince09 then turned to Facebook Graph Search to see who had checked into La Viola -- because the picture was originally taken from a Facebook page. After matching the photo from folks who checked into the restaurant, he contacted the police.
FanSince09 @FanSince09
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@RealGlenMacnow found them all at la viola, some of them checked in on FB, compared FB pics
9:26 PM - 16 Sep 2014
The Philadelphia Police responded:
Joseph Murray ✔ @PPDJoeMurray
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S/O to @FanSince09 This is what makes my job easy. Sure, it's up to me to make the arrest but we are all in this together.
8:55 PM - 16 Sep 2014
Though they cautioned:
Joseph Murray ✔ @PPDJoeMurray
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Let's be clear here. No arrests made. Central Detectives have done a ton of work and have a lot more to do. (Not a law & order episode)
Later, 6ABC reporter Kenneth Moton reported that the suspects' lawyers were now in touch with the Philadelphia Police:
Kenneth Moton @KennethMoton
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JUST IN: Lawyers for people in group suspected of CC gay bashing called police to make arrangements. More in a live report at 11pm @6abc
Meanwhile, praise for @FanSince09 rolled in:
Rob Engelsman @rcengelsman
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So @FanSince09 just crowd-sourced the solving of this hate crime in Philly using Twitter and Facebook graph search/b]
9:23 PM - 16 Sep 2014
Colin Weir @radiocolin
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[b]That’s some damn fine police work, @FanSince09
