Ronnie McNutt was a 33-year-old American man who gained attention in August 2020 when he livestreamed his own suicide on Facebook.
The video of his suicide went viral on social media platforms, causing shock and controversy.
McNutt was a Christian who regularly attended church.
Some media reports suggested that he had lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic, although this was disputed.
McNutt had served in Iraq as a US Army veteran and was reported to have suffered from PTSD.
The livestreamed video of McNutt’s suicide spread rapidly on social media, despite efforts by platforms to remove it.
The graphic nature of the video caused distress to many who accidentally came across it.
There have been conspiracy theories suggesting that McNutt’s death was fake, but these claims are not supported by evidence.
The tragic incident sparked discussions about mental health, the impact of social media, and the responsibility of platforms to prevent the spread of harmful content.
McNutt’s death highlighted the need for greater awareness and support for individuals struggling with mental health issues.
About a year after this man's death on August 31st, 2020. I hope his family is doing well.
RIP Ronnie Mcnutt 💔💕#ronniemcnutt #rip pic.twitter.com/avkkwfwMOF
— Atlas (@yoonskittypaws) September 11, 2021
Ronnie McNutt suicide video
McNutt committed suicide by shooting himself under the chin with a single-shot rifle on a Facebook livestream.
The video went viral on social media platforms, and despite Facebook removing the original footage, it has been repeatedly re-posted there and on other sites by internet trolls capitalizing on its shock value.
McNutt began the livestream on Facebook, and his best friend, Joshua Steen, noticed the stream.
He became alarmed when he realized that McNutt was intoxicated and holding a single-shot rifle.
Steen reported it to Facebook during the livestream, but he didn’t get a response until 23:51, when Facebook told him that the video did not violate its community guidelines.
By then, McNutt was dead.
Steen told Heavy.com that he felt social media sites could have done more to suppress the video of his friend’s death.
The suicide video has left many people traumatized, including children who inadvertently watched it on TikTok.
McNutt’s friend, Joshua Steen, is fighting for answers from Facebook and other social media platforms where clips of the suicide are widely available.