A video uploaded by YouTuber Randy Stair in 2016 prompted one of his online friends, Sammy, to cut off contact. Less than a year later, Stair carried out a workplace shooting at a Pennsylvania supermarket, trapping and killing three co-workers before taking his own life.
A Dark Turn
Stair’s channel had long featured recurring comedy sketches centered on a frog and a whale. However, his videos took an increasingly dark turn, with the goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappearing, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
Sammy said she noticed changes in Stair’s online behavior, with his social media posts becoming increasingly erratic. He would post very cryptic, indirect things on Twitter, but obviously you couldn’t be completely sure, and then delete them almost immediately or a few minutes later.
Stair launched his YouTube channel, PioneersProductions, around 2008, when he was about 15 years old. Much of his early content consisted of sketch comedy and self-deprecating homemade short films. Sammy discovered the channel when she was about 12 and became a fan. When Stair was about 21, the two began communicating online.
A Warning Sign
In April 2016, Stair uploaded a video titled ‘A Promise Kept.’ It contained graphic threats against Sammy. In it, Stair described in detail how he intended to kill her. The video included an animated ‘Teenage Girl Missing’ poster bearing a drawing that resembled Sammy.
Sammy said the video convinced her to permanently end all contact with Stair. She hopes others will recognize changes in behavior and seek help if they are concerned about someone’s well-being.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
