On December 4th Casey Christopher Goodson Jr. was at his front door, with key in lock, when he was fatally shot by Deputy Jason Meade. Meade is a SWAT Deputy for the Sheriff’s Office in Franklin County Ohio.
Goodson was shot in the back three times, before falling into the kitchen. His 72 year old grandmother and 5 year old brother saw him lying on the ground. He was then taken to the OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, where he died. Goodson was 23 years old, his family wants answers.
The Lead Up
Meade, had just finished an unsuccessful search for “violent suspects” while working with the U.S. Marshal’s Service fugitive task force when the shooting occurred, according to investigators. Peter Tobin, a U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, claimed that Meade approached Goodson after he was seen by deputies, “driving down the street waving a gun”. However, in a later statement the Columbus Division Police made no mention of a gun being waved.
According to family members Casey Goodson was returning from a dentist office appointment when he stopped by Subway to get a sandwich. He then came home where he was shot with sandwich in one hand, and a COVID-19 mask in the other. A handgun was recovered from the scene. The family has since confirmed that Goodson was licensed to conceal carry.
Investigations to Follow
Tobin has said he believes the shooting was justified. However the Columbus police Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) will be conducting an investigation to be reviewed by the Franklin County prosecutor’s office. A county grand jury will also be presented with the case for consideration.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation said it would not accept the investigation, stating that they should have been brought in by local authorities immediately after the shooting took place.
Many Questions Left to Answer
The family’s attorney, Sean Walton, is concerned with Tobin’s assertion that the shooting was “justified”, saying he is worried about transparency in the investigation. Walton said, “No investigation has been conducted, to our knowledge. At this point they have not even began their investigation. So at the beginning of an investigation to say it’s justified, well tell us why it’s justified because at that point Casey was a law-abiding citizen entering his home after leaving an appointment with his dentist while carrying food.”
Walton also stated that Goodson had no criminal history. Regarding allegations of Goodson waving a gun Walton said that, “He was very safe and respectful when it came to guns, he was a licensed gun holder. That allegation does not line up with who Casey was, just because of the level of gun safety he tried to maintain.”
Finally, Walton believes the statement released by law enforcement is lacking, stating, “I think there are many pressing questions that they need to answer regarding what he did that led to his death. There are some questions that only law enforcement and the officer that shot Casey can answer, but the family does deserve those answers.”
Calls for Justice
The People’s Justice Project plans to have a rally at the Ohio Statehouse this Saturday at noon. They are working to raises awareness about the death and to demonstrate against racial injustice.
Also involved in the case is the NAACP. “If we don’t have police reform, this is going to continue,” Nana Watson, president of the Columbus Chapter of the NAACP, said. “It’s just going to continue to escalate as it relates to black people.”
The NAACP is calling for body cameras for deputies and is asking for accountability. It is also urging public restraint until the investigation is complete.
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