"We get calls all the time on things that people see on social media," said Officer John Syme with the Independence Police Department.
Syme says when you see something suspicious online, you should speak up. We showed him pictures Cedric Ford posted on Facebook, the man police say was behind Thursday’s shooting spree in Hesston and Newton, Kansas.
"Well as a law enforcement officer, the first thing that, obviously, there is a hand gun on the lap, on the left you see what looks like a bottle of alcohol, and he's behind the wheel," said Syme.
Although the pictures are disturbing, Syme says it is not illegal to post pictures with a gun online, or even video shooting a gun. Given Ford's past, Syme says it's definitely a red flag.
"If he's a convicted felon and someone knew that, say a family member or a friend, if they knew that and saw him with a gun, I would say it's their responsibility to contact local law enforcement and let us know that this individual is handling a fire arm and could pose a danger to the community," said Syme.
It’s impossible to say what would have happened if someone had reported the pictures and video to police. Still, the public can help law enforcement be the eyes and ears of the community to prevent a tragedy in the future.
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Ali Hoxie can be reached at ali.hoxie@kshb.com.
