Family remembers Supply man killed in shooting involving his nephew
SUPPLY, NC (WWAY) — A murder suspect will be in court on Thursday for a probable cause hearing, after allegedly killing his uncle.
Katherine Bradshaw said she was in disbelief after learning that her older brother, Stephen Russell Bradshaw, had been killed — just hours after she had spoken with him.
“I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it because I had literally just spoken to him, literally right like two and a half hours before it happened,” Bradshaw said. “I was in total disbelief.”
According to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, Zachary Aaron Craddock was arrested and charged in connection with Bradshaw’s death. The arrest happened around 5:30 p.m. Aug. 26 in Supply.
For Bradshaw’s family, one of the hardest questions to answer is why the shooting happened.
“I mean, it’s kind of the obvious question. Why?” Bradshaw said. “And, you know, was it something so stupid? You know, like, just why?”
Bradshaw said her brother had gone to Fawn brook Lane to help calm a dispute. Instead, she said, he was killed.
The loss has been particularly difficult for the family because of the relationship between Stephen and Craddock, who Bradshaw said was Stephen’s nephew.
“Steven and Zachary, they loved each other, you know, he loved his Uncle Steven, you know, in a way worshiped the ground he walked on,” Bradshaw said. “They did a lot of stuff together. If anything, you know, was going wrong, he would call Uncle Steven.”
Bradshaw said that despite what happened, she believes her brother would have forgiven Craddock.
She described Stephen as someone who was always willing to help others. He was a volunteer firefighter, a certified rescue diver and a disaster relief volunteer who traveled to help with search-and-rescue efforts following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“He skipped school after 9-11 to go help out at the Pentagon, doing search and rescue because Fredericksburg is only an hour south of D.C.,” Bradshaw said. “And he also was at, in New York, too, a couple times.”
Bradshaw said Stephen’s willingness to help others extended to his family. He was the father of four children, whom she said he loved deeply.
“He kept a picture of all his kids as well,” Bradshaw said. “But it just — we’re all just in disbelief. No one really believes this is happening.”
The investigation into Bradshaw’s death remains ongoing, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.
