By Sandra Parrish WSB Radio:
A man charged with shooting a security guard multiple times at a Gwinnett County extended stay motel is finally behind bars while the victim continues to fight for his life.
U.S. Marshalls arrested Xavier Geder near Americus last week. He will go before a Gwinnett County judge on Thursday.
William Hudson Jr. was shot eight times as he worked his security job at the Norcross Extended Stay on Sept. 1.
He is now on life support at Gwinnett Medical Center where his family has remained by his side. His wife says when he was able to speak, Hudson remembered the shooting.
“He recalls when it was happening. He said the bullets wouldn’t stop, so he prayed to God for them to stop,” Michelle Rucker tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.
His father William Hudson Sr. says his son was shot in the back in what appeared to be an ambush.
“Only cowards shoot people from the back,” he says.
Hudson, who had been a security guard at the hotel for six years, did not carry a firearm. His wife says he worked the overnight sift seven days a week.
She says he never worried about his safety and seemed to be well-liked by the residents who stayed at the hotel.
Geder was living at the motel at the time and police still don’t have a motive as to why he would shoot Hudson.
Rucker says her husband and their family forgive Geder despite what happened.
“Will’s not walking with anger. Before he went back into life support, he just wants to know why,” she says.
Rucker has been unable to work since her husband’s shooting and a GoFundMe page has been set up to the help the family with medical expenses.
