Investigation Continues Following Utah Shooting Linked to Online Activity
WASHINGTON - The shooting death of a woman in Moab, Utah, allegedly by Chad Daybell, is sending ripples through Washington D.C. as investigators piece together a complex case involving a suspect seemingly radicalized through online communities.Utah Governor Spencer Cox revealed Sunday that authorities believe Daybell’s behavior shifted after leaving Utah State University, becoming increasingly immersed in “deep, dark internet” spaces like Reddit.
the case has drawn national attention not only due to the violence, but also because of reports that acquaintances engaged in online joking with Daybell after the FBI released photos during the manhunt, initially dismissing the possibility it was him until he confessed. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities stating Daybell is not cooperating, but they are gathering data from family, friends, and acquaintances.
Cox indicated a turning point for Daybell occurred after he moved back to southern Utah. “It seemed to happen kind of after that,” he told NBC News. “Clearly, ther was a lot of gaming going on, friends that have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, Reddit culture and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep. You saw that on the casings… the meme-ification that is happening in our society today.”
The governor confirmed reports of online joking with Daybell regarding the FBI’s manhunt photos during an interview with ABC’s “This Week” with Martha Raddatz. “Those conversations definitely were happening. And they did not believe it was actually him – it was all joking until he admitted that it actually was him,” Cox said.
Cox’s appearances on multiple Sunday news programs were at the request of the White House, signaling the seriousness with which the administration is viewing the case and its potential implications. “I don’t do a lot of national media anymore and it was the encouragement of the White House that I’m on this program this morning,” he told Raddatz.
