Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

Grieving Father of Slain 18-Year-Old Hero Stresses the Importance of Love and Forgiveness

Photo Caption: Screenshot from The Daily Leader
Photo Caption: Screenshot from The Daily Leader
Share Tweet
By Stephanie Parker
Editor

June 1, 2017

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.

READ: ‘I Heard at Least 15 to 20 Gunshots’: Good Samaritan Risks Her Own Life to Save Shooting Victim

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)

Latest

  • News

    ‘In the Arms of Christ’: Pastor’s Daughter Among Children Killed During Christian School Shooting

  • Faith

    ‘Thank God He Was There’: Off-Duty Firefighter Says It Was the Lord Who Led Him to Save Deputy Hurt in Crash

  • News

    ‘Kind of a Miracle’: Storm Chaser Rescues Family After Tornado, Pledges to Help Rebuild Home After Terrifying Ordeal

  • News

    Amid ‘Hidden Dangers That Lurk’ in Culture, Christian Video Games Could Offer Parents a Powerful Solution

  • News

    All-American Swimmer Blasts ESPN for Promoting Transgender Athlete in ‘Celebrating Women’s History Month’


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • ‘In the Arms of Christ’: Pastor’s Daughter Among Children Killed During Christian School Shooting
  • ‘Thank God He Was There’: Off-Duty Firefighter Says It Was the Lord Who Led Him to Save Deputy Hurt in Crash
  • ‘Kind of a Miracle’: Storm Chaser Rescues Family After Tornado, Pledges to Help Rebuild Home After Terrifying Ordeal
  • Amid ‘Hidden Dangers That Lurk’ in Culture, Christian Video Games Could Offer Parents a Powerful Solution
  • All-American Swimmer Blasts ESPN for Promoting Transgender Athlete in ‘Celebrating Women’s History Month’

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture
  • culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?