YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A deadly shooting captured on Facebook Live has left the Ypsilanti Township stunned. The victim had become somewhat of a local celebrity because of those live feeds.
But Tuesday (June 28), it all ended abruptly and tragic.
Terrell Smith was on his Facebook live talking to the camera. He began to get into a heated exchange with someone who was making comments as he was going live. Minutes later, someone drove up to his house in Ypsilanti, where more than 30 shots were fired.
Read: 46-year-old man shot, killed in Ypsilanti Township, police say
Facebook was flooded with sadness, heartache, and tributes Wednesday for Smith, who was a local Facebook celebrity.
Smith was known as a friend for the food he made and often gave away. He was known for his love and support of Ypsilanti and its people and for his lively, brutally honest Facebook Live appearances called “Rells Corner.”
On Tuesday, Smith took to Facebook Live for another edition of Rells Corner and expressed his loyalty to Ypsilanti.
“What makes y’all think because you moved that you’re better than Ypsi,” said Smith. “Y’all are a product of Ypsi.”
Smith soon after started exchanging words with someone who was commenting on his Facebook Live and making threats.
“Now you are on here saying you are riding around with 60 shots,” Smith said. “I don’t care if you have 100 shots, bro.”
Thousands of people were watching Rells Corner and were horrified by what happened next.
Smith sees a car approaching, and someone gets out.
“Oh, we got action,” Smith said. “We got action.”
Soon after, shots were fired, and Smith was shot and killed. The shooting was not seen on camera. A neighbor can be heard in the video player above, frantically calling 911.
“Somebody been shot,” said the neighbor.
The horrifying video was seen 37,000 times before Facebook was alerted and took it down. The person that fired the shots has not been located, officials say.