News : 2 Gay Men Killed After Using Social App
Hey guys, last week 2 gay men were killed through after meeting their murderer through a social app. Ali Muhammad Brown, a suspect in the murders of two gay men in Seattle on June 5, may have met his victims on a social networking app like Grindr, reports KIRO TV .
Ali has been on the run after being charged with the murders of 23-year-old Dwone Anderson-Young and 27-year-old Ahmed Said while the men were walking home from R Place, a gay nightclub at Boylston Avenue and East Pine Street on Capitol Hill, Seattle.
Both victims were shot in the head and there was no evidence or a struggle that preceded the killings. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Wyman Yip said there was no evidence that the killings were motivated by a robbery, drugs or another crime. The shooting deaths happened about 2:20 a.m. — less than 17 minutes after two witnesses saw Brown leave with the victim in Said’s car.
After the victims were killed, Said’s gold 2001 Mitsubishi Gallant they had been riding in was found in South Seattle. There was an exorbitant amount of blood in the passenger seat. Brown’s palm print was found on the interior rear driver’s side window. Spent 9 mm shell casings that matched the casings found at the crime scene were also found in the abandoned car.
Police say the suspect is also known in East Orange, New Jersey, and is wanted in Ocean City on a $500,000 arrest warrant, in addition to other possible crimes in New Jersey and Washington. Brown has been charged two counts of aggravated first-degree murder; if convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Remember to always be careful guys when you use those geolocalisation social apps. Check out our ONLINE SAFETY TIPS to make sure you are safe when you meet someone.
Be careful guys!
Dave
That’s really sad. I have a friend who lived for grindr but thankfully now he’s been in a committed relationship for a year now. He’d constantly be tracking guys using that GPS feature and trying to meet up with guys wherever he went. As this instance illustrates, it can be dangerous.
This is why I think it’s crazy when people say in their profile they want you to go to their house without even meeting first or “can only meet really late at night”, after 11PM or even 3AM! That’s an instant *NO* for me!
I always tell people that if you going to meet someone rather its through the internet or through some kind of app that you always meet them in a public, visible place and in my case I have some extra eyes on me (meaning that there’s at least another person whose close by jut in case I need some help).. several years ago 3 gay men were killed by meeting a guy at a local club here in my hometown that’s was more into the BDSM style than anything else. he had buried 2 of them under a slab of concrete in his backyard and shortly after killing the third guy he was arrest, with the guy’s body still in the shed above the2 slabs of concrete that he had buried the other two guys in. no safety precautions can ever be fully succeed in protecting yourself, but common sense is the best thing to go by. if you have a funny feeling about a guy, don’t go.. that’s you common sense telling you something and if you going to go, at least have another pair of eyes to keep an eye on you. the guy in the above story actually meet the victims off the grindr app and the ones I mention actually meet them off of here and then went to the club. be careful gentlemen is all I can say.
I have uninstalled all of my gps locating hook up apps because I was stalked by a crazy madman. That app was pretty dead on to my location and he knew exactly where I was. I could never figure out how he knew until I found a really hot guy online. We hit it off and hot sex was lined up and ready to go. I asked for his address and he had told me if I wanted his dick, I would find him. I asked him “how would I do that as it is a huge city”. He replied “use the gps in reverse and you will be close enough to my house to see the the red light in the Window”. Sure enough, I was able to reverse gps him and it got me within 4 houses of where he was and i could see the red light 3 doorways down. As I was walking up his walkway, it dawned on me that that is how this perv was stalking me. It ended up with TPO and all that bad stuff.
Amazed and scared really, I decided to do some research and I was able to find all 5 randomly picked guys, ranging from 2 miles to 56 miles away, of the guys online within 4 to 5 houses from their actual location ( you do have to come out of your house at some point). Some apps directly pinpointed their location! THEE Exact location ON google maps no less! PINNED THEIR HOUSE ON GOOGLE MAPS! Think about that for a minute. You are extremely vulnerable.
Point is… the veil of anonymity is gone. It like your standing face to face. So if you like to talk shit, talk down to people or any of that crazy stuff we have all become accustomed to (with no consequences)… you just might end up standing face to face with him. Because you know, its really not all that hard to find you.
Uninstall it… its just not worth it
Were gay men specifically being targeted? Unfortunately this is nothing new… Scary!
I think it’s wise to use social apps for online socializing, not just instant hooking up. It’s pretty easy to develop a circle of chat buddies. Then you can share info about potential playmates.
If you don’t get a good reference before meeting face to face, your first encounter should be in a public place.
If you get bad references, don’t go. If he continues to pester you, block him. If he makes a new profile and contacts you again, report him.
I work to jobs construction and the other doing personal security. On two occasions I’ve had guys come up to me and ask if I was so-n-so hiding out their phone. Both guys with great intentions..
While doing the security job I was on a beach (the only idiot out there dressed in a suit) not near anyone for 600′ and this guy strolls along the beach and asked if I was the guy on Adam. I said,”was but this was highly in appropriate. I’m not out and would like to keep it that way.” He saw the gun strapped to my side Nd there wasn’t any argument. He was real cool and apologized and left quietly.
While doing my daytime construction job in Boston, I had a guy come to the site and asked for me by my nickname (happens to be part of my screen name, not to smart for a guy in the closet). The worker pointed in my direction and whistled for me to come closer as the guy couldn’t come on site. Well you didn’t need to much imagination to to realize how flamboyant this guy was with what he was wearing. About 7 of my coworkers stared but couldn’t hear our conversation. Again holding the phone up he asked if that was me and could we meet after I get off. With the pressure of the on lookers I used that deep “you betta get the fuck outta here voice!” He was pissed and left quietly. Of course after he left All the guys came over and asked what the fuck was that about? I just blew it off.
If they would have just shot me an email and said hey I’m right near you could we meet? I would have found a way to meet them. The part that sux is I would have definitely hooked up with both of them. The second guy was a HOTTY! I still like to leave my locator on as it makes it real easy to locate guys in my area, but I usually don’t at work anymore. If being confronted isn’t your thing I suggest you turn your locator off.
I had just logged on to that grindr site but fortunately I do not know how to navigate it. After reading this article I am glad that I don’t cause hate and hateful people are everywhere; within and outside of the gay community. Are we that lonely and feel so unwanted that we risk our lives for sex. If the risk of Aids and Hiv aren’t enough. Also something just didn’t look right with this murderering thug guys be CAREFUL!!!!
Always tell someone when you meet for the first time @ our hotel or your home, that “hey, sorry I was late at the door, the security monitoring system was just reprogrammed”. Yeah… that should turn them off – either sexually or deter from their motive. It could have been grindr or even Adam4adam.
We should be careful at all times. Before Grindr, we were warned about Adam4Adam, before that it was AOL chat rooms, before that it was meeting guys over chat lines, before that it was meeting through classified ads, before that it was meeting guys at bars. The app makes it no more dangerous than any other way of meeting people. Random things happen to innocent people. We should be careful at all times, but understand some bad shit will happen.
this is scary
I’ve used it glad I wasn’t them
Very sad story, a lot of sad people out there. I would like to comment on the “on line safety tips” highlighted in the story. I went there and found the information very important. Important enough to refresh our minds and learn new things in this changing world, I am so glad that was placed there. Every one should read that as well as this story.. .
There is a guy on a4a that was just arrested outside Philadelphia for sneaking in people’s bedrooms! I chatted with him a few times and was going to meet up, but something told me to stay away! I urge everyone to trust your instincts, pay attention to those voices that whisper to you and the hairs if they stand up on the back of your neck! It seems there is more to “safe sex’ than wearing a condom!
it is very very dangerous to meet up with a guy that you’re not sure of from one of the dating apps. I check out Grindr often but I’ve never met anybody from there because most seem to fake. I also check out growlr but have only met and played with one person from there after a long long period of communication and then met in a public place before anything ever happened. I have met some guys that are on those two sites but it was to be friends only.
“As this instance illustrates, it can be dangerous.”
…and going to a bar and getting shit-faced, then going home with any given stranger, isn’t? Yet that happens any given day, for both straights and gays.
Human interaction itself can be dangerous. Do what you can to make sensible choices, and go forth with caution. All you can do.
I’m really sorry that happened. I always have been leery of using ad-hoc meeting sites. They invite haste and anonymity. I always preferred sites where you have to have a profile to chat. At least somewhere in the private server archives, there’s a trail. I also very rarely meet after one chat. I have a complicated schedule and like to plan ahead, but more importantly, I like to get a feel for the other guy. I follow my gut. Guys who want “right now”, no “endless emails”, no “twenty questions” usually won’t get my attention. And if somebody wants to meet for coffee or at a park or store before deciding to be alone, so be it. I’d rather line up somebody so when we both feel hasty, we already know what we’re dealing with, even if I miss out on an impatient “right now dammit” guy. Sexual frustration now and then, beats that regret for rushing into danger. Be careful guys. Paranoia is being scared of everybody. Precaution is paying attention when something doesn’t seem right. Don’t be afraid to trust yourself. And let a trusted friend know where you’re going. Text them an address. Nothing wrong with that. But floating sites like Craigslist, Grindr, etc need extra caution just because they’re harder to trace.
This is sad because i just had a friend of mine that was murdered by two 18 year olds in Myrtle Beach SC after meeting them off Jackd.. they robbed and killed him then left him in the hotel parking lot dead 🙁
In 25 years dealing with men things can get violent. I found myself targeted and shot by two young brothers. The held me at gunpoint directed me to any alley. I was familiar with the neighborhood and knew they would kill me. I avoided eye contact and walked backwards to the middle of the street. I saw the flash and felt like I was hit with a sledgehammer and then a burning sensation. The only thing that saved me was my belt buckle, the bullet ricocheted they ran one way I the other. I got away with a flesh wound.
i am not a tech person so this story is not important to me.
Sad and tragic.
I can only hope that the Seattle police place a priority on these murders. Sadly, I have lived in a couple of locations where murders in OUR community have seemed to have a lesser priority because of the perception that the victims were placing themselves at risk. Victim blaming can be quite prejudicial. While having gay sex no longer holds the level of stigma that it did in my youth, there is still the perception from the public that we are “deviant” and some even in the gay community still keep a low profile (on the DL) and are unwilling to come forward. We stigmatize ourselves and live out that stigma.
Take care of yourself and watch out for others. If you see a friend or even someone you know out there in an unusual, strange, compromising or dangerous situation, you may be reticent to step up and ask if things are OK but isn’t it better to be castigated by someone for “interfering” than to find that the person was found dead or beaten severely? That’s part of being a COMMUNITY.
“Lookin? – yes, let’s meet, where? okay see you there” That’s what happens when no one wants to even talk or check the person out before taking their big dick!!
guilty…
actually surprised more stuff like this does not happen. Maybe it does and we do not hear about it.
Very sad..obviously this dude didn’t have a face pic on Grindr because he looks so crazy and scary nobody on earth would want to meet him
People are killed randomly all the time. If he’s not using grindr, he’ll just go to the bars. This is a fact of life gay or straight. Trying to say “don’t use these apps” is giving into terrorism. Welcome to humanity, it gets ugly.
80 percent of guys on these apps are crazy. I don’t really like meeting off these sites.. when I do meet I always carry a blade in my pocket.
This event sums up why looking for Mr. Right Now, random hookups and anonymous sex are not wise.
But some gay guys are still going to claim their God-given rights to be free, to do what gives them pleasure, to do what gives them satisfaction, to be liberated every single moment, and to not have to bend to anyone’s conventions or rules for behavior. And it still all comes down to the fact that it’s their bodies, their lives, their choices.
Of course the suspect is muslim…
…and going to a bar and getting shit-faced, then going home with any given stranger, isn’t? Yet that happens any given day, for both straights and gays.
Human interaction itself can be dangerous. Do what you can to make sensible choices, and go forth with caution. All you can do.
Synn: human interaction itself can be dangerous. However, the difference between going to a bar and getting shit-faced, then going home with any given stranger versus meeting up with someone off GRINDR is that while you’re getting shit-faced at a bar with that total stranger, you’ve at least spent some time with them gauging them, feeling them out etc. Now, if you noticed that stranger AFTER getting shit-faced and can’t really make an informed judgment call about them, then that’s something entirely different.
@Dsfs: What the hell does the suspect being Muslim have to do with anything. Save that idiotic bigoted bullshit for one of those far right wing blogs. It has nothing to do with the fact that all of us need to be careful. And that comes from using common sense and trusting and listening to our instincts when meeting encountering new people. And that doesn’t mean reducing yourselves to misguided paranoid
“I don’t trust anyone online” mindsets or dividing into these false “I don’t meet anyone from those kinds of sites/places because I’m more moral” positions knowing we all have gotten horny at some time or other. But what it does mean is holding some kind of conversation with that guy to get some feel for what he’s like. And if he’s one of those “right now”, “no endless emails”, “no meaningless chitchat” type guys, he’s already shown you he’s not worth your time. There’s nothing wrong with playing here and there, just be smart about it when you do because all forms of human interaction comes with some form of risk. If you think it doesn’t, you’re only fooling yourselves and might as well stay inside your homes and not interact with anyone. Hell you were taking that risk when you were getting to know your friends.
As a bi, on the dl, guy…it is exactly this reason why I haven’t done anything with a guy in over 10 years. I am not a big guy, and despite extensive training, I do not want to be put in a position where I may have to defend my life or take theirs.
Sure, it sucks being horny and too scared to do anything about it. However, at least I can wake up tomorrow and enjoy another sunrise.
This guy who kill them is Gay but hates himself because of it and he is psycho. This is my hypothesis
Sad but true the digital age has not made anything better in fact it has made things more volatile in fact when gay culture had red light districts and bathhouses and clubs to go to even though there were risks of std,s and encounters with creepy people at least there was a sense of security in knowing there were other gay and good people amidst whatever the situation could be there seems to be an issue that few seem to acknowledge wich is this the Information Age was designed to keep people informed connected and find everything and anything Possible quickly and conveniently with all this accessibility at our fingertips we seem to have forgotten simplistics in social behavior and have abandoned the attributes in ethics and etiquette witch makes for good judgement the gap between conciquences of peoples actions and reactions has become non existent at least before the internet if a gay man was raped or killed brutally it was not because of where he met a potential piece of ass in a club or porn shop but more likely on their way to and from anywhere else theay could be going simply stateing from my own experience as an eccentric gay man who came out in 1993 at age thirteen in suburban Portland Oregon there were times I was absolutely petrified to be gay and out about it but never when I was with other people or in public social settings now days it dose not matter who what or where you are if you have a link to the internet or cell phone that can be tracked you are a sitting duck and most people can barely peel their eyes away long enough to even pay attention to their surroundings let alone their safety it truly is to bad that such a great thing has become so misused and that the theory of safety is that as long as you have a cell you can be found or call for help and nothing can happen as long as your phone is charged and on you are safe so why bother un fortunately this concept is false never should we have given an inanimate object so much credit and attention to our happiness and well being let alone as a means to connect with potential dates friends and acquaintances
I know this is an older post, so not sure if anyone will read this. But my story (which is true) has a great outcome. I realize that meeting up for a first time especially at his place, or giving someone a ride, or hooking up in an anonymous place can be very risky. In my case, I was at an adult arcade, and a man came in a booth I was in and we gave each other a BJ, enjoyed our time together and got each other off. So that in itself was a pretty safe situation. However he gave me his phone number, and since he was nice, handsome ( at least I think so), and seemed honest, I decided to give him a call after I thought about it for a few days, and see if he wanted to meet up again. I took a chance, gave him a call, and had a nice conversation. I asked if he wanted to meet me at the arcade again, and he said sure, but I would have to give him a ride as he didn’t own a car, as he had been there with another person that gave him a ride at the time. Normally I never give a ride to anyone as I know the risks, not really knowing the person. ( Yea, I could have gotten robbed, something stolen or worse.) But I said sure, and picked him up the next day, and went back to the adult arcade. We enjoyed having sex with each other again, and so I asked him if he wanted to get something to eat afterwords. Sure, he said, so we stopped at a fast food, chatted and got to know each other better. Then we met again, and again, and went not only to the adult arcade, but started going out to movies, concerts, restaurants, museums, etc, his place, and even my place a few times. We have known each other almost 2 years, and have traveled to several different cities, spent several nights together at hotels, etc. He is now a best friend, lover, boyfriend, and he is a wonderful person. We help each other out, share our experiences, such as work, family issues, our emotions, and even share stuff about our other sexual and friendship encounters. (yes we have an open relationship which both of us accept). He has met several members of my family, and I have met several of his. For the most part this has been ok. We are planning more vacations and trips together in the future, hopefully even to California. What is even different about our relationship is not only we are both gay, but I am white, and he is a wonderful black man. When were together (or even talking with or even thinking about each other, our difference in race doesn’t even enter our minds. We see each other several times a week, and sometimes nearly every day. As far as risks meeting a stranger (in which he is no longer a stranger by far) but in this case I feel we have a life long relationship and friendship with each other. I agree not all meet up’s will turn out this way, and many hookups with strangers for a first time can be very risky. In this case though, for both of us it turned out to be a wonderful, loving, caring friendship and relationship with each other.