When the founders of Instagram thought about what they wanted their app to do and be known for, we don’t think this was it. A teen has been charged with murder due to allegedly confessed over Instagram to fatally shooting another child, police said.
According to the Bensalem Police Department, they received a 911 call on Friday afternoon concerning a possible homicide, ABC News reported. The caller stated they had an Instagram video chat with a friend, which prompted them to call the police.
During the video chat, the teen stated he “had just killed someone” which was shown using the camera. The footage shows the victim covered in blood, according to officials. The teen then asked this friend for assistance in disposing of the body.
During the 911 call, the caller said the teen lives at the Ridge trailer park in Bensalem. Police were sent to that trailer park, and the teen was seen running out the back of a trailer when they arrived. Police were able to catch him about a mile away, which is when he was arrested.
Police did enter the trailer, which is when they discovered a girl on the bathroom floor who died from a gunshot wound, police said. Investigators also stated that they noticed “substantial steps” taken to clean up the crime scene. The victim’s age and identity have not been released by police, besides that she is a juvenile.
The suspect is 16-year-old Joshua Cooper, who faces criminal homicide, tampering evidence, and possessing instruments of crime, officials said.
Cooper attended a preliminary arraignment on Friday night, in which he was denied bail. There was no clear sign of whether or not he entered a plea. The officials said, he will be detained at Edison Juvenile Detention Center, and his arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 7.
The case is still being investigated, and police are encouraging anyone who knows more about the incident to contact Detective Ryan Kolb at 215-633-3746 or Detective Shawn Smith at 215-633-3687.
