Just days before Memorial day celebrations kicked into high gear, Willie Corey Godbolt, 35, got into a heated and deadly argument with his estranged wife over his children.
After the dispute, an enraged Godbolt attacked and killed eight innocent people including children, a police deputy, and his mother-in-law during a horrific shooting spree.
Pastor Eugene Edwards, reverend of Hopewell Missionary Baptist church, was among those who lost loved ones over the weekend, including his grandson.
Instead of celebrating the weekend holiday, his congregation is asking for God’s mercy to prevail as they mourn the loss of some of their youngest members — Jordan Blackwell and Austin Edwards. Blackwell got stuck in the crossfire of the shooting while he was talking to his girlfriend on FaceTime and saw Godbolt come in his home.
His gut instincts told him to leap in front of his little cousin, Caleb Blackwell, who was harmlessly standing around before Godbolt broke into the home by using his gun to shoot the door open.
The Clarion-Ledger reported that Blackwell’s home was the second stop in a three-home shooting rampage which began late Saturday night and ended early Sunday morning once Godbolt was apprehended by police.
Godbolt has confessed to the gruesome shooting shortly after his arrest.
Watch police take Godbolt down and read him his Miranda rights while under arrest.
Raw video from the arrest of Cory Godbolt, accused of killing 8 people in Lincoln County overnight. pic.twitter.com/8NLSkSvXQR
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) May 28, 2017
The Blackwell family shared that Jordan, 18, had big ambitions, goals and plans after his senior year of high school, including attending college. He had his eyes on Jackson State University, a state school that had started scouting him for his football talent.
But because of his incredibly selfless action and willingness to take multiple shots for his cousin, he forfeited his own promising life for that of another.
In a video released by Blackwell’s father, Shon Blackwell, he called his son’s noble efforts during the shooting spree heroic. And claimed his son is now his heavenly “hero.”
Shon Blackwell told Daily Leader, him and his family, “Were raised to love. To forgive. And the Bible says one of the commandments says, ‘we must love.’ So we can’t get into heaven with hate.”
WATCH:
Jordan Blackwell’s cousin, Austin Edwards, 11, was also killed during the rampage just two days before his grandfather, pastor Eugene Edwards was planning to take him fishing with his uncle on memorial day.
The Clarion-Ledger reported, fishing was one of Edwards’ favorite hobbies. When the shooting spree started he was playing video games with his cousin in the living room.
Caleb Edwards survived the ordeal with a gun shot wound above his eye. Now as the young teen mourns the loss of his cousin Jordan and his brother Austen, he reflected on what he will remember the most and what he will miss.
“I’m going to miss arguing and playing with Austin, I’m going to miss him trying to wake me up for school,” he said. “I’m going to miss playing with Jordan, going places and playing football. I’m going to miss him. I already miss them.”
When asked to comment on Godbolt, Caleb said, “I really don’t have anything to say to Corey.”
“We used to be cool but we’re not cool now. You killed my brother and my cousin in front of me. All these innocent people for a situation with him and his wife. He should have dealt with it like a man instead of going out and killing people.”
Please hold the Blackwell’s and Edwards’ family in your prayers.
—
(H/T: The Clarion-Ledger)