A street turned into a crime scene early Thursday morning when police rushed out to a call about someone getting hit with an arrow. Officers pulled up to the 200 block of South Myers Avenue in Sharon shortly after 1 a.m. and found 24-year-old Billy E. Colwell badly wounded on the property.
First responders worked fast on site to try and keep Colwell stable before loading him into an ambulance. Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, but the damage was too severe. Doctors could not save him, and he died a short time later.
Mercer County Coroner John Libonati confirmed that the young man died from injuries caused by a crossbow arrow. The news spread quickly among those who knew Billy, leaving his close circle struggling to wrap their heads around how a typical late night ended in a sudden death.
At 24 years old, Colwell was just getting his adult life moving. Friends described him as a down-to-earth guy who loved spending time with the people closest to him and making those around him laugh. Those who grew up with him in the area say he was someone you could always count on when things got tough.
People living along South Myers Avenue woke up Thursday to find emergency lights flashing and yellow crime scene tape blockading part of their road. In a small city where folks usually know what is going on down the block, seeing a heavy police presence over such an unusual weapon shocked the whole neighborhood.
Colwell’s family and friends spent the day gathering together, leaning on each other as they dealt with the sudden loss. Condolences and support have been coming in from folks across Mercer County who want to support the family through the hardest days of their lives.
While detectives keep trying to figure out what happened in those early morning hours, the people who cared about Billy are keeping their focus on who he was. They want him remembered for his life and the good times they shared, rather than the wild headline that took him away.
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