Sunday, April 16, 2017

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROBERT GODWIN SR. (SEPTEMBER 7, 1942 TO APRIL 16, 2017)



            We, the comrades of Unit 1012: The VFFDP, send out utmost condolences and heartfelt sorrow to the family members of Robert Godwin Sr. We will not forget him on September 7 and April 16 every year. Justice was served as the Facebook Killer had committed suicide.

            Let us remember how he lived on this earth.

  
Robert Godwin Sr.
(September 7, 1942 to April 16, 2017)


Family members on Saturday (April 22, 2017) recalled Robert Godwin Sr. as a loving, gentle person who taught the importance of forgiveness.
 
Robert Goodwin Sr. (pictured) was randomly murdered by Steve Stephens on Facebook Live.

Shooting of Robert Godwin
Location
East 93rd Street
Glenville, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Date
April 16, 2017
2:01 PM (EDT)
Target
Robert Godwin Sr.
Attack type
Weapons
Handgun
Deaths
1
Victim
Robert Godwin Sr.
Perpetrator
Steve Stephens
Motive
Undetermined

On April 16, 2017, 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr. was shot and killed while walking on a sidewalk in the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The suspect was identified as 37-year-old Steve Stephens. He posted a cellphone video of the shooting on his Facebook account, leading many media outlets, both during the manhunt and afterward, to dub Stephens the "Facebook killer". A warrant was issued for Stephens for aggravated murder. Two days later, he committed suicide by gunshot when cornered by police in Erie County, Pennsylvania.

Shooting

The shooting happened at around 2:00 p.m. EDT on April 16, 2017, in the 600 block of East 93rd Street in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood. The shooter uploaded a video of the event. Seconds before the shooting, Stephens exited his car, approached the victim and asked Godwin to say the name of a woman believed to be associated with the suspect. Stephens then said "She's the reason why this is about to happen to you", before shooting Godwin, who recoiled and fell to the ground. Facebook said the video was uploaded to the website after the fact, not livestreamed as initially reported. In other Facebook posts, Stephens claimed responsibility for thirteen murders, but police said they were not aware of any other victims.

Manhunt

A search for Stephens began soon after the shooting, prompting lockdowns at a number of locations, including Cleveland State University. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams told reporters that detectives talked with Stephens by cellphone shortly after the shooting, but had had no further contact with him since that time. The manhunt expanded to other states on the morning of April 17. Residents in Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, and Michigan were asked to be on alert, and a US$50,000 reward was offered for information leading to Stephens' arrest on a charge of aggravated murder. The FBI also aided the Cleveland Police Department.

At 11:10 am on April 18, Stephens pulled into the drive-through lane of a McDonald's restaurant in Harborcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, 100 miles from the location of the shooting. An employee recognized Stephens from news reports and, after verifying with fellow employees, provided Stephens with part of his order but stalled him by stating that his fries were still cooking. During this time police were called to the restaurant. Stephens, wary, left without his fries. 

 
Steve Stephens dead after shooting himself when located by police.
As Stephens pulled out of the restaurant, state police gave chase heading westbound through Wesleyville, Pennsylvania. Stephens made it to the corner of Buffalo Road and Downing Avenue in the city of Erie, where Pennsylvania State Police successfully executed a tactical maneuver to bring the car to a stop. As police approached Stephens' car, he shot himself in the head, dying almost immediately.

  
Steve Stephens is pictured in this photo released by Cleveland Police, April 16, 2017.

Steve Stephens
Born
Steve William Stephens
December 10, 1979
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Died
April 18, 2017 (aged 37)
Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Cause of death
Suicide by gunshot
Occupation
Vocational specialist
Criminal status
Deceased

Suspect

Stephens worked at Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency for children and families. He was wearing his work ID badge and repeatedly mentioned Beech Brook in videos on the day of the murder. Police confirmed there was no known connection between Godwin and Stephens prior to the shooting and that Godwin was selected at random. Stephens' mother was quoted as having told authorities that Stephens told her by phone he was "shooting people" because he was "mad with his girlfriend" of about three years, who was confirmed to be safe and was cooperating with investigators.


Children of Man Murdered on Facebook Give Stunning Testimony During Anderson Cooper Interview

“He’d give you the shirt off his back,” said the heartbroken man in the video. “I’m not just saying that for these cameras … this man right here was a good man. And I just hate that he’s gone.” A reporter for WKYC Channel 3 news later said that, according to his family, Godwin had spent the morning fishing.

Criticism of Facebook

The graphic video of Godwin's killing remained accessible to the public on Stephens' Facebook page for more than two hours on April 16 before it was removed by Facebook, according to a timeline shared by the company. The delay generated renewed criticism of Facebook over its handling of offensive content and, in particular, public posts of video and other content related to violent crimes. "We have a lot of work [to do], and we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in his April 18 keynote address at F8, Facebook's annual developers conference. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Robert Godwin Sr.", Zuckerberg added.


By Jennifer Earl CBS News April 20, 2017, 3:42 PM
Philly cop creates beautiful portrait of Robert Godwin, Sr., sends message

Police officers having a hard time finding the right words to comfort the family of 74-year-old Robert Godwin, Sr., who was killed last week in an apparently random shooting that was video-recorded and posted on Facebook, have found another way to honor the man — with art.

Philadelphia Police Department forensic graphic artist Jonny Castro created a digital painting of the Cleveland, Ohio, victim on Tuesday. The department shared the portrait of a smiling Godwin on its Facebook page, along with an eye-opening message.

“This digital painting of Cleveland, Ohio homicide victim Robert Godwin, Sr. is being shared in order to get an extremely important message out there,” the Philly police department wrote in a post that has been shared more than 8,500 times. “YOU – the public – are the best weapon we have in the fight against crime. Sure, that’s a cliche – but some cliches become cliches for a reason. FACT: Mr. Godwin’s killer is no longer a threat because a citizen picked up a phone and called police.”

 
Philadelphia Police Department forensic graphic artist Jonny Castro created a digital painting of Robert Godwin, Sr., who was shot and killed in Cleveland, Ohio.
 
Good evening

This beautiful work of art was recently completed by PPD Forensic Graphic Artist, Officer Jonny Castro.

This digital painting of Cleveland, Ohio homicide victim Robert Godwin, Sr. is being shared in order to get an extremely important message out there.

YOU - the public - are the best weapon we have in the fight against crime. Sure, that's a cliche - but some cliches become cliches for a reason. FACT: Mr. Godwin's killer is no longer a threat because a citizen picked up a phone and called police.

Every day in this country, individuals like Mr. Godwin are senselessly killed by cowards whose names aren't worth the keystrokes necessary to type them into posts like this one. Far too often, it is the names and faces of those criminals - not their victims - that are remembered as we see them plastered all over the media.

The sooner those wanted individuals are in custody, the sooner we can stop posting their pictures. Believe us - getting them into custody and off of our pages and streets makes us very happy.

We need your help.

Call it "snitching", call it "ratting", call it whatever you want. Regardless of your opinions on the police, please consider putting them aside for just a moment and giving us a call. You can always remain anonymous - and you can quite literally save a life.

Our condolences to the family of Mr. Godwin, as well as to the families and loved ones of victims of violence throughout Philadelphia and the world. We promise to work tirelessly to bring closure for these victims as well as the loved ones that are left behind to pick up the pieces.

Please. We need your help.

Thanks for listening, for your support, and for your help in making our city safe. Stay safe.

The department is referring to the McDonald’s employees in Erie, Pennsylvania, who recognized the 37-year-old murder suspect, Steve Stephens, at a drive-thru Tuesday and attempted to stall him as they contacted police.

Within “30 seconds,” Tom Ducharme Jr., who owns the McDonald’s, told CBS affiliate WSEE Pennsylvania State Police had responded and were on Stephens’ tail. Stephens killed himself after a brief chase about two miles from the restaurant, ending a nearly 48-hour multistate manhunt.

“Every day in this country, individuals like Mr. Godwin are senselessly killed by cowards whose names aren’t worth the keystrokes necessary to type them into posts like this one. Far too often, it is the names and faces of those criminals – not their victims – that are remembered as we see them plastered all over the media,” Philadelphia police continued. “The sooner those wanted individuals are in custody, the sooner we can stop posting their pictures. Believe us – getting them into custody and off of our pages and streets makes us very happy.”

Castro has created dozens of portraits over the years, often memorializing officers killed in the line of duty. A group of 15 police officers in Philadelphia’s 18th district asked Castro if he could paint a picture of Godwin.

When Casro finished the beautiful piece of art, the officers pooled together funds to make sure Godwin’s 9 children and 14 grandchildren would each get a print, free of charge.

“At 74 years old, his life was taken during a single act of senseless violence,” Castro said in a Facebook page created to showcase his artwork. “He was a peaceful man, who enjoyed fishing and helping his community in Cleveland.”

Debbie Godwin, the victim’s daughter, told Cleveland.com her father had retired after years as foundry worker. He frequently fished in Lake Erie and collected aluminum cans as “just something to do.”

She said her father was “a great man, a sweet man.”

“All my life, all I’ve ever known for my dad to be a provider,” she said.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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