WASHINGTON — YouTube has taken down all videos that had been uploaded to the account of Elliot Rodger, the man who authorities say killed six and injured 13 in Isla Vista, California.
Mashable reports the videos were taken down Tuesday from the Google-owned video platform. Rodger had posted 21 videos leading up to the killing spree, discussing his loneliness and frustration with women.
The remaining profile photo of Rodger shows him in the black BMW he spoke from in his final video, entitled “Elliot Rodger’s Retribution.”
A YouTube spokesperson told Mashable: “Our hearts go out to the families affected by this terrible news. Videos threatening violence are against YouTube’s guidelines and we remove them when they are flagged.”
“We encourage anyone who sees material that they think crosses the line to flag it for us,” the unidentified spokesperson told Mashable. “As YouTube is a place where people come for information, where content is posted in a news context it will be allowed to stay on the site.”
Asked to comment, Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler says the effects of having manifesto videos remaining online are painful.
“The repeated playing of Mr. Rodger’s disturbing video in the days since his murderous rampage has taken attention away from those whose lives were cut short, while also further spreading hate,” Gansler says.
“YouTube did the right thing by taking these videos down while family and friends of those killed, injured or otherwise affected by this unspeakable tragedy are grieving,” says Gansler.
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