Pastor prepares Edward Young Jr.'s funeral following fatal Hendry County shooting

Edward Young Jr.'s pastor at Mount Hermon Ministries shared memories of his life and their final conversations as family and friends mourn his loss. "I knew him before he was born. His mom was with child with him, in fact, when they became members of the church," said Dr. William Glover, pastor at Mount Hermon Ministries. Dr. Glover said he never imagined he would go from knowing Young as a child to planning his funeral. He shared that he last spoke with Young two days before his death. "He was working through issues that we all get with in life, you know, break up a relationship, work-related issues, and trying to become a better person," Glover said. "In the midst of all of it, but there was really no sense that, in a couple of days, his life would end." Young, 33, of Lehigh Acres, was fatally shot Saturday night during a traffic stop in Hendry County. Deputies said they pulled him over along State Road 29 and Case Road for reckless driving. Body camera footage released this week shows Young reportedly reaching back with his right arm, grabbing a handgun, and firing at one deputy. A deputy on the passenger side then shot Young. As the video continues to gain views and comments, Dr. Glover shared his thoughts on the situation. "The family certainly has a right to ask unanswered questions to their satisfaction and, to give the family the time and the grace to work through that," Glover said. "We don't know where this is going to land in terms of investigations and stuff like that. And then also, to keep the officers involved lifted up in prayer as well." Reflecting on his last encounter with Young, Glover described him as "a big man, but gentle, soft-spoken, thoughtful, respectful." Young’s funeral service will be held at Mount Hermon Ministries next week. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.