Mother of Casey Goodson Jr. needs justice as FBI opens investigation into lethal law enforcement shooting

The relatives of Casey Goodson Jr. is calling for justice immediately after the 23-year-previous was shot dead though entering his home on Dec. 4 in Columbus, Ohio.

Goodson was fatally shot by Franklin County Sheriff’s Business deputy Jason Meade, but the information of what led up to the taking pictures vary in between the authorities and Goodson’s relatives. Meade, who had been taking part in an unsuccessful lookup for a fugitive along with the U.S. Marshals Support, stated Goodson — who was not the goal of the lookup — waved a gun at him when he drove by his law enforcement car. Meade confronted Goodson outside the house his house, and he refused to drop his gun, U.S. Marshal Peter Tobin reported at a press conference final Friday.

But Goodson’s family stated he was returning from a dentist appointment and had a Subway sandwich in his hand, in accordance to loved ones co-counsel Sean L. Walton.

“Casey experienced the display screen doorway open up and his keys in the door, and Deputy Jason Meade fired photographs at Casey,” Walton explained to ABC Information on Tuesday. “He fell into the home, where by he lay in his kitchen area.”

The preliminary result in of dying was various gunshot wounds to the torso, the Franklin County Coroner’s Business office stated in a assertion Wednesday. Having said that, the coroner mentioned she can’t determine the way of the bullets without the need of even more investigation, ABC Columbus affiliate WSYX noted.

Goodson’s mom, Tamala Payne, told ABC News she was at get the job done when she listened to her son experienced been shot.

“[Meade] took an oath to serve and safeguard and clearly that’s not what he does. … Therefore, I want justice for my son,” Payne instructed ABC News.

“My 5-calendar year-aged named me, crying and screaming, ‘Mommy, Casey just got shot,'” said Payne, who additional that the youngster witnessed Goodson’s demise.

Police mentioned a gun was identified at the scene, but Goodson’s family members said he was a authorized gun operator.

According to a assertion launched by the Columbus Police Section, lots of info about the incident will continue to be unfamiliar right up until the investigation is accomplished. The Columbus Law enforcement Division is investigating the shooting, as the sheriff’s business office does not glance into lethal shootings by its possess deputies.

There is no police online video of the capturing, mainly because Franklin County Sheriff’s activity drive officers are not issued physique cameras.

Meade is a 17-yr veteran of the sheriff’s office, but he had been forever assigned to work with the U.S. Marshals Assistance, according to WSYX.

“What I think in my coronary heart occurred is that Casey was murdered in chilly blood for getting a Black male,” reported Payne. “[The deputy] warrants to be in jail. He warrants to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the legislation.”

“The deputy sheriff’s place of work and whoever else is associated needs to just take appropriate ways in making sure that their deputies are experienced thoroughly,” she extra.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown tweeted Monday that Goodson was “but a different younger Black guy who should be alive currently” and called for a total investigation into his demise.

“We stand with Sen. Brown in stating that this is regretably a further Black lifestyle shed, but it has to prevent,” Walton instructed ABC Information Stay. “Casey enjoyed doing exercises his ideal to have a gun, and we are not positive what occurred that day, but no allegations of wrongdoing have been manufactured. Casey was a legislation-abiding citizen.”

On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers declared that the U.S. Attorneys Workplace and the FBI will critique Goodson’s demise.

The civil legal rights division of the Office of Justice, the Cincinnati division of the FBI and the Columbus Police Section will evaluate no matter whether any federal civil legal rights legal guidelines were being violated, according to a statement.

DeVillers claimed federal authorities will “consider suitable action if the proof implies any federal civil legal rights guidelines were being violated.”

“The loved ones is demanding an immediate respond to as to what transpired that prompted the deputy to pick out to choose Casey’s existence,” Walton mentioned.

Payne mentioned that she will continue to be her son’s voice through the course of action.

“My son, as I have stated a thousand instances, was an remarkable little boy. And he was however a very little boy for the reason that he is always heading to be my baby,” Payne said. “Just recognizing that Jason Meade took his voice, he no extended has just one. As a result, I am his voice and I know that I have to be his voice. … I have to stand up for my son simply because, if I don’t, no a person else will.”