A Bullet Meant For Another Resulted in an Unthinkable Conclusion to a Mother's Day Party
Montgomery, Ala. police are currently investigating a shooting that took place Mother’s Day weekend, claiming the life of a Black family’s matriarch. The woman’s son detailed the chilling moment the celebration turned into the likes of a horror scene.
Jerrell Crews told PEOPLE his mother, Gloria, hosted a Mother’s Day party at her home on Cobbington Road on May 12. Crews described his mother as the matriarch of the family, always looking to care for children whether they be her own grandchildren or the kids on the block.
That Sunday, she cooked all day preparing a meal fit for a typical Black gathering of over 50 people: mac n’ cheese, fried chicken and potato salad. Around 7 p.m., multiple individuals emerged from the bushes with assault rifles and fired off at the crowd of people.
Crews recalled hearing over 100 shots.
He told the magazine Gloria’s first instinct was to protect the children who were playing out front. Though, as she rushed them inside from the front yard, she was struck in the neck with a bullet. Crews said he heard the gunfire from two doors down and rushed over to the home where he found his mother on the ground, struggling to breath. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to family friend Carron Morrow, it turns out the bullet wasn’t meant for her, but instead a teen who had just arrived at the home, per AL.com.
Authorities gave little details to the incident besides confirming it will be investigated as a homicide. However, Central Alabama Crime Stoppers announced a $20,000 reward composed of funds from the Montgomery City Council and County Commissioner for any information on the killing or the shooter involved.
“I truly want to celebrate the Christian servant that she was. She didn’t have a bad bone in her body. The devil will not win this battle and leave a seed of hate in this family’s hearts, especially these little children,’’ said Morrow to AL.com.
Gloria’s funeral is scheduled for May 25.
