The Philly PD Just Created a Beautiful Portrait Honoring a Victim Murdered on Facebook

Nick Kangadis | April 19, 2017
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(Image: Screenshot/Facebook/Philadelphia Police Department)

Sometimes a portrait is worth a thousand words.

As many of you probably know by now, Robert Godwin Sr. was senselessly murdered by Steve Stephens live on Facebook last week in a brutal and inexplicable shooting. Stephens eventually killed himself before being apprehended by the police after being too much of a coward to face the music once he was caught.

The Philadelphia Police Department posted a beautiful portrait of Godwin Sr. on Facebook, created by forensic graphic artist Officer Jonny Castro, in order for the PPD to get a message out there to the public.

Here is the post:

 

 

The  portrait was done to grab the attention of the public so that the PPD could convey a message of cooperation to its citizens.

Here is that message in its entirety:

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.

Officer Castro and other PPD officers have pooled money together in order to provide prints of the portrait to Godwin’s children and grandchildren.

Everyone is more than entitled to think what they want about police in general, but at the end of the day, they are there to serve their community, bring people justice and possibly even save a life.

H/T: Fox 8 - Cleveland

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