Good morning! It’s Tuesday, June 20, and we have returned to work after the Juneteenth holiday on Monday. In this Issue 12, we will cover a shocking and heartbreaking incident that deeply affected the Korean-American community in Seattle. A full-term pregnant Korean-American woman was tragically shot and killed in broad daylight, leaving everyone stunned and seeking answers.
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In the heart of downtown Seattle, a Korean-American woman, on the verge of bringing a new life into the world, was callously and senselessly shot in broad daylight. The result? A devastating tragedy that claimed the lives of both the mother and her unborn child.
Picture this: at 11 a.m. on June 13, a man boldly approached a halted white Tesla at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Lenora Street in the vibrant Belltown neighborhood. In a chilling display of violence, the assailant unleashed a barrage of six shots upon the unsuspecting couple inside the car.
Eina Kwon, a 34-year-old, eight months pregnant, was immediately taken to the nearby Harborview Medical Center. But despite the valiant efforts of medical professionals, her injuries proved fatal, robbing her husband and 2-year-old son of their wife and mother. Her precious baby, brought into this world by emergency delivery surgery in the hospital, briefly drew breath before succumbing to the same heart-wrenching fate.
As for her husband, Sung-hyun Kwon, 37, who was also in the car, he too fell victim to the assailant’s cruel intentions. Though fortunate to escape with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his arm, the scars of this senseless act will undoubtedly run deep.
It began as just another ordinary day for the Kwon couple, heading to the Aburiya Bento House, the beloved Japanese restaurant they poured their hearts into. Little did they know that their lives would be forever shattered, leaving their 2-year-old son blissfully unaware that he will never see his mother again.
The perpetrator, Cordell Maurice Goodsby, 30, was apprehended shortly after the shooting by the diligent hands of law enforcement. As officers closed in, he raised his hands in a hollow gesture of surrender, his chilling mantra of “I did it, I did it” echoing through the air.
Yet, as investigators delved deeper into this unspeakable tragedy, discrepancies emerged. Goodsby claimed he had spotted a gun in the victims’ car and reacted instinctively by firing his own weapon.
The weapon used in this heinous act was traced back to a reported theft in the Lakewood area. Goodsby’s criminal history includes drug charges, weapons charges, and theft. As a convicted felon with weapons charges on his record, Goodsby was very clearly a threat to the public, with or without mental health issues. And yet he was free to make his way from Cook County, Illinois, to Seattle and shoot Mrs. Kwon to death in broad daylight.
As the suspect awaits his fate behind bars, pending charges of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, and unlawful possession of a firearm, the Seattle Police are unraveling the motive behind this unprovoked attack. Hate crime? Random? The answers elude us, adding to the haunting echoes of tragedy that have gripped the nation.
This is not an isolated incident. Just five weeks ago, in suburban Dallas, Texas, the Allen Premium Outlets became the backdrop for another devastating loss within the Korean-American community. A husband, wife, and their son were mercilessly gunned down in a mass shooting, leaving only a lone six-year-old boy to bear witness to the horrors inflicted upon his family.
Inexplicable, maddening, and utterly terrifying — these incidents serve as chilling reminders that bullets can find their mark at any time, in any place.
Yet amidst the chaos and grief, one question lingers above all: Why? America, we implore you to shed light on the reasons behind these senseless acts of violence. The innocent souls lost demand answers.
*The Korea Daily decided not to publish photos of the victims, respecting the bereaved family members’ request. Below is the link to donate and support the bereaved family:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-sungs-family-rebuilding-from-heartbreak?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer
By Mooyoung Lee lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com
