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Social media users impersonate Facebook killer Steve Stephens

Posted at 4:12 PM, Apr 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-18 16:54:17-04

Steve Stephen's horrific killing posted to Facebook inspired more disturbing behavior on social media.

After the shooting, people across the country created fake accounts pretending to be the killer.

Accounts on Twitter and Facebook were removed, but screen-grabbed and shared on several platforms.

News 5 reported dozens of Instagram accounts pretending to be that of Steve Stephens to the company. 

RELATED: Rumors about whereabouts of Facebook shooting suspect circulate online

Many of the impostor accounts take disturbing to a whole new level. With descriptions like: "Just your average grandpa killer" and "ex-husband, real shooter."

Other social media impostors made threats.

MORE: McDonald's employee recognized Steve Stephens as he was ordering at drive-thru

One account, geographically tagged in Louisville, Kentucky, threatened to kill on Facebook live again. The owner of another account in Baltimore posted: "Many of you will be dead."

Other 'Steve Stephens' tagged themselves in Atlanta, South Chicago, and Flatbush, New York.

Criminal justice expert Dr. Ross Riggs told News 5 killers like Stephens who commit crimes on video are all about making a splash.

"They want to shock society and now they’ve come up with a new way," he said.

The sickening crime on camera shocked society. The exploitation of that crime is shocking too.

NOTE:  Impersonation of anyone breaks most social media platform's policies. News 5 reported all of the impostor accounts to those who oversee them at the corporate level. Most of those have been removed. News 5 is told the others are being investigated.

FULL COVERAGE: Facebook killer