UMPD: Gun Violence and Safety Tips

By: Brianna Rose

On Easter Sunday, thirty-seven-year-old Steve Stevens shot and killed a random elderly man in Cleveland, Ohio.

That elderly man was seventy-four year old, Robert Godwin Sr.

Godwin was walking along a sidewalk on Easter Sunday collecting aluminum cans. Shortly after, Stevens got out of his car while recording a video on his phone proceeding to start a conversation with Godwin before retrieving a gun and shooting him.

The video of Stevens shooting Godwin was then plastered all over social media after Stevens posted it to his Facebook page.

Photo of Robert Godwin Sr. and a family member

The senseless murder follows just days behind the San Bernandino school shooting, where a man opened fire in an elementary classroom shooting and killing a teacher and a student, also injuring another student.

University of Montevallo Police Chief, Chadd Adams, says that in cases like the murder caught on Facebook, they are rare and hard to protect yourself from.

However, Adams did have advice and tips for bystanders who witness such heinous crimes.

"If someone is being hurt or if something is happening, put your phone down and go help," Adam says.

And if you happen to catch a crime happening on Facebook or any other social media platform, Adam says to contact your local authority immediately.

To hear what Godwin's family members had to say about the tragedy, click here.