Gunn Family Speaks Out
The Gunn family all agreed to meet in Montgomery for a special reunion. After more than 60 years apart, they agreed it was time to visit and get together in their home city. But it wasn’t like a normal family reunion, because some siblings were missing.
“There’s Emma Doris, then Xavier Lethel Gunn…” remembers now big sister Gwendolyn Windham. With the passing of her older sister Emma, she became the oldest Gunn sibling. Then came brother Xavier. Then came four more brothers and a youngest sister. That’s eight Gunn siblings, growing up in Montgomery.
But not all the siblings could make it to the reunion, because not all the Gunn siblings are still alive. The deaths of all their siblings hurt the remaining Gunns, Gwendolyn, Kenneth, Franklin and Garry; but the death of their brother Greg hurts the most.
“I can’t talk to my brother at five o’clock in the morning like I do every day,” says brother Kenneth. “I need my brother’s guidance. He helped me on my job. He helped me spiritually. He lifts me up.”
On February 25, 2016, Montgomery Police responded to the scene of an officer involved shooting. It was there they found Greg Gunn dead. Officer Aaron Smith was charged with Greg’s murder six days later. Greg Gunn’s mother has filed a lawsuit against the city.
Greg’s siblings want everyone in Montgomery to know the true character of their brother.
“He was a beautiful person,” says brother Garry. “He was, believe it or not, educated, went to college. He worked hard.”
“He was that best friend,” says brother Franklin. “When I come to town, I didn’t go see my sister. I didn’t go to see my brother. Or my mom! I found Greg, and we hung out like two little kids.”
The Gunn family also wanted to speak out about the violence surrounding officer involved shootings in the nation. They say their brother Greg would not approve.
“We can tell you, people wanted to burn the city down,” Franklin says. “But you know what? That would have dishonored everything my family stood for. What my brother stood for. So for us, any injustice to one man is an injustice to us all.”
While the family is still grieving, they are happy they can all come together and remember their brother.
“He was that person,” says Kenneth. “A heart of gold. And, I feel like, not the community, not the state of Alabama, but the world, lost a valuable asset.”
“He was our man of God. And he was just important to all of us,” adds sister Gwendolyn.
A grand jury is currently looking into the case, and Officer Smith is still on administrative leave at this time. All evidence was turned over to the SBI.
