Only on WAAY-31, a Decatur family speaks out about the shooting death of a man killed during a robbery.
"It hurt to the flesh. But I know in order for you to be an angel you've got to go home and spread your wings, so God called him home. He did a lot. He did more than what a lot of people did in 21 years," said Stavalas Hampton.
21-year-old, Rodney Fossett died earlier this month after being wounded in a robbery at a Decatur apartment complex.
WAAY-31 sat down with Fossett’s brother-in-law for a look at how they’ll continue the young man’s legacy.
A legacy that's continuing on and off the field.
Wilson-Morgan Park is where the youth football league the Hit Squad was created.
Originally, an outlet for kids to have a way toward a better life, all by Rodney Fossett.
Now, dedicated to changing lives after he lost his own.
"It didn't seem real at first because of the person he is. Like, who would want to do this," said Stavalas Hampton.
This is what Stavalas Hampton says he felt when he learned of Rodney's death.
On July 13, Decatur police were called to Summer Courtyard Apartments for a shooting, and there, officers found Fossett with multiple gunshot wounds
"He was just a good dude," said Hampton.
Fossett was taken to the hospital, where he died from his wounds three weeks later.
His family can’t believe someone so strong could be gone.
"He was the strongest player on his high school team and even as a sophomore, he had seniors looking up to him," said Hampton.
Fossett, an Austin High School graduate and a football star.
Hampton told WAAY-31 Fossett's favorite thing was to teach football to young people, so he helped create the Hit Squad: a youth traveling football league.
"Just trying to get these boys up out of Decatur, out of North Alabama. That's the whole goal of the Hit Squad," he said.
As far as the Hit Squad, Hampton told us that is one thing Fossett would have wanted to continue, whether he's here or not.
Now Hampton wants to say these lasting words to his brother:
"I'm going to make sure we still live out our dreams with these boys. I'm going to make sure they all get their college scholarships they wanted and I promise you, I got your family," he said.
Now, there will be an annual tournament called the "Dino Squad", which was just one of Fossett's nicknames.
To make donations in Fossett's honor the family is asking you email dinofoundation56@gmail.com or send money via CashApp to $DinoFD56
The suspect in the shooting, Keondrick Tyrek Boyd, fled to Texas after the shooting and killing of Fossett.
He was found after 23 days and is awaiting extradition to Morgan County.
He's currently facing a capital murder charge.
