YouTube says it’s leaving up livestreamed video of Boulder shooting

YouTube says it’s leaving up a live-streamed video of Monday’s shooting in Boulder, Colo., which left ten people dead, including a police officer.

The company said it is adding a warning to the  footage, which was captured by a self-described citizen journalist who live-streamed the shooting for three hours.

“Following yesterday’s tragic shooting, bystander videos of the incident were detected by our teams,” YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez told The Hill in a statement. “Violent content intended to shock or disgust viewers and hate speech are not allowed on YouTube, and as a result we have removed a number of videos for violating our policies.”

“We do allow certain violent or graphic content with sufficient news or documentary context, and so we’ve applied an age restriction to this particular content. We will continue to monitor this rapidly changing situation,” Hernandez said.

Dean Schiller began livestreaming at around 2:45 p.m. local time on Monday after he heard the first shots at the King Soopers grocery store, Vice News reported. The video was uploaded to the channel ZFG Videography.

Vice noted that Schiller is being criticized for showing police tactics live that the shooter potentially could have viewed. Researchers and journalists are also reportedly criticizing him for showing victims’ bodies and voicing unsubstantiated theories as to what was happening.

Schiller’s livestream was first reported on Monday by The Colorado Springs Gazette. 

The video, titled “Mass Shooter at King Soopers,” had been viewed nearly 600,000 times as of early Tuesday afternoon. 

It begins with Schiller running as he’s explaining that he heard gun shots, and saying that someone is down. Roughly 12 seconds into the video, Schiller points the camera to bodies lying motionless in front of King Soopers.

He also shows motionless bodies inside the store but says he’s “f—ing getting away” after he hears more shots.

When he’s advised to get away after filming the SWAT team’s arrival, he says he’s a journalist and continues recording.

Police on Tuesday announced that 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa has been charged with ten counts of first-degree murder. The victims ranged in age from 20 to 65, including 51-year-old police officer Eric Talley.

–Updated at 2:02 p.m.