SPD ends use of Twitch after discussing Charleena Lyles shooting
Jun 23, 2017, 9:09 AM | Updated: 12:07 pm
(Screengrab from FuzzFeed206)
(Screengrab from FuzzFeed206)
Update 11:47am:
The Seattle Police Department has shut down its Twitch channel after social media backlash.
GeekWire reports that the decision was made after a large number of people criticized the police department for discussing the shooting on a video game platform.
Seattle Police Sergeant Sean Whitcomb told GeekWire:
We’re certainly listening and hearing what people have said on other social platforms about this feed. So that is one reason why we are suspending it. Any good that can come of this would be neutralized by any additional pain it might cause.
Original story:
Seattle Police are getting major blowback from the posting of a recent Twitch session.
Twitch is a video game platform where players can talk to each other while playing. Officer Sean Whitcomb has been using the service to reach out to younger communities and talk to them about what police are doing.
RELATED: SPD guild president: Tasing Lyles would be a ‘violation of department policy’
Most recently, he used Twitch to talk about the police shooting of Charleena Lyles.
“So, this episode is going to be a little on the heavier side,” Whitcomb says.
This has caused mass outcry on Twitter, calling it tone deaf and insensitive.
Peter Jackson: Congratulations for trivializing the life of #CharleenaLyles Whoever okayed this should be fired.
veggielovinglife: This is absolutely disgusting. This was a woman’s life, not a game. There are kids left w/out their mom. Shameful.
Aaron Donogh: Are you serious? How tone deaf is this?
Gene Dexter: This isn’t appropriate on any level. Have you been hacked?
Whitcomb says he’s used the platform before to talk about other controversial issues, including other officer-involved shootings.
The episode has since been removed from Twitch and YouTube.
