In recent times, the violent deaths of vloggers have left some members of the online community feeling like they’re ‘hunted game’.

Two weeks ago, popular 32-year-old vlogger Nigel ‘BigMeech’ Walford, was shot and killed by unknown assailants in Red Pond, St Catherine. The Campion College alum created and moderated the popular Instagram page, AugustTown876, where he regularly expressed views on news and current affairs, especially on crime and policing in Jamaica.

READ: Popular blogger Big Meech shot and killed

The police have no leads into Walford’s death. Head of the St Catherine North Police Division, SSP Howard Chambers, said there is no evidence that Walford was targeted because of his online crime-related blogs.

“We are still investigating,” SSP Chambers told OBSERVER ONLINE.

Despite the concern within the vlogging community, members of the traditional media fraternity believe that the deaths of bloggers cannot be construed as an ‘attack on freedom of speech or the free press’.

“A lot of these bloggers are involved in extracurricular activities that might put them in harm’s way. There is no evidence that the deaths of these bloggers has anything to do with their reportage on certain events, or their opinion,” one high-ranking executive member of the Press Association of Jamaica, said.

DEATHS OF VLOGGERS

The extra-curricular theory may have some credence.

In August 2022, police revealed that a homemade firearm with two magazine holsters and military paraphernalia were seized at the home of popular Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) blogger, 37-year-old Phillip Taylor, after he was found dead in a car.

READ: Homeade gun, military paraphernalia found at murdered blogger’s house

In September 2022, Clarendon-based blogger Leon ‘Leegates’ McNeil was gunned down at a party, only a few hours after reporting on a double murder via Leegates TV and Entertainment, his social media platform used to provide live updates on crime.

McNeil was at a party, about 8:55 pm, when he was approached by men who shot him multiple times. The 36-year-old declared his intention to attend the party via live stream video earlier that day as he reported on the double homicide in the parish.

READ: Popular blogger killed because of gang war – cops

Police sources say McNeil might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. According to lawmen, an ongoing feud between men from the area is believed to be what caused the attack at the party where McNeil and another man were shot.

‘BigMeech’ Walford of AugustTown876 was shot and killed on March 3, 2023. Born and raised in August Town, he had been living outside the community in recent years, after being dragged before the court on a cyber crime-related issue. He was detained in April 2020, by detectives assigned to the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch, C-TOC. After several subsequent court appearances, the case was eventually dropped in December of last year.

In March 2021, YouTuber Nicola Campbell, of Nicola Campbell’s Journey, was shot dead outside her home in St Andrew.

According to the police, the 36-year-old was returning home from the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) where she worked as a registration clerk, when a gunman approached and opened fire, hitting her several times. She was pronounced dead at the scene, the police said.

The mother of three regularly shared videos of herself and her children on her YouTube channel, Nicola Campbell’s Journey.

CORRELATION IS NOT CAUSALITY

However, the string of deaths involving vloggers may just be an unfortunate coincidence.

“Correlaton does not prove causality,” the PAJ exec mused. “If a reporter is killed and there is no definitive threat to that reporter’s life based on the work that they have done, then we cannot just draw a conclusion. Correlation doesn’t prove causality.”

Others aren’t convinced that bloggers are not being hunted because of their edgy opinions and investigative work to highlight criminal activities. Popular Youtuber Sir P has revealed that he has been threatened many times by underground figures and Sir P also revealed that popular blogger BigMeech had reached out to him about threats only days before he was cut down in Spanish Town.

BigMeech and Sir P are members of a new group of intense, eager bloggers who’ve been lighting up Youtube by dishing interesting insider information about the machinations of gang leaders, and leaking sensitive information about the murders.

Still, the traditional media believes that it is time to have a conversation with the wave of new journalists about their ‘unorthodox methods’.

“The traditional media doesn’t publish the pictures of children, the vloggers need to read the Child Care Protection Act, there is a duty of care when it comes to dealing with children in danger. Further, bloggers need to get away from posting unverified information and that belief that ‘if something no go so, it near fi go so’, and that’s why more of them are getting sued,” the media exec told OBSERVER ONLINE.

One such case of a member of the ‘new media’ being sued is that of gender activist Latoya Nugent of the Tambourine Army. The Supreme Court awarded $16 million to former Moravian minister Dr Canute Thompson in his defamation lawsuit filed against her in January 2019.

Nugent, the founder of the advocacy group Tambourine Army, is alleged to have posted comments on Facebook defaming Thompson sometime after the arrest of another Moravian Minister, Rupert Clarke, for sex crimes against a minor.

The court had entered a default judgment against Nugent after she failed to respond to the claim filed by Thompson. The court has also ordered that she pays legal costs.

Recently, Youtubers Andre Stephens and Shelly-Ann Curran have been threatened with defamation suits because of their public utterances. Stephens has been threatened with a suit if he does not apologise and remove allegedly defamatory posts concerning investment banker Ryan Strachan and the fraud-hit brokerage firm Stocks and Securities Limited.

Entertainment personality and internet talk show host, Curran is facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit from businessman Mark Croskery, former CEO of Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL), over a series of posts made on her YouTube talk show and her social media profiles, linking him to fraudulent activities and the scandal-rocked company.

The businessman has hired attorney-at-law, Monique Morrison, as he seeks damages for defamation, negligence, aggravated damages and legal costs.

“New media has to understand that not because two people post it, means that it is true,” the media exec said.