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Who was Casey Goodson? 23-year-old Black man shot dead by cops on his doorstep after being mistaken for fugitive

'There’s really nothing that they’ve alleged or said that Casey did on his walk from the car to the house that would justify him being shot,' the lawyer representing his family said

COLUMBUS, OHIO: The fatal shooting of a 23-year-old Black man Casey Goodson in his home has people questioning the justice system yet again. His family is demanding a thorough investigation into the case as they have “extreme concerns” about his tragic death. While the family claims that Goodson was unarmed, the Sheriff’s department maintains that Goodson was carrying a gun on him at the time of the shooting. 

Why was Casey Goodson shot?

According to reports, Goodson was confronted by Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Meade on Friday, December 4, when he was about to unlock the door to his grandmother’s house and enter. Meade is currently assigned to the United States Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force and he was among the agents searching for a fugitive in Estates Place in the area of Ferris Road. 

The Sheriff’s statement reads, "The deputy was investigating the situation and there are reports of verbal exchange. The deputy fired at Mr Casey Goodson, resulting in his death. A gun was recovered from Mr Goodson. Mr Goodson was not the person being sought by the US Marshals task force."

However, law firm Walton + Brown, LLP and Friedman & Gilbert representing Goodson’s family has narrated a different version of the story. One of the lawyers, Sean Walton, commenting on the police’s statement told NBC, “It doesn’t make sense. Who drives down the street waving a gun out of the window? This isn’t a music video. This is real life.”

"There’s really nothing that they’ve alleged or said that Casey did on his walk from the car to the house that would justify him being shot,” Walton said. “He actually was putting his key into the door when he was shot. The key was hanging in the door even hours after the shooting,” he added. 

The firm has also shared a long post on Facebook detailing the entire incident, seeking justice and a “transparent” investigation into Goodson’s shooting. “Casey is not alleged to have committed any crimes, has no criminal background and was not the target of any investigation. Casey was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and Ohio does not prohibit the open carrying of firearms. It is troubling that authorities have already stated that they believe the shooting to be justified,” it read. 

In another statement issued by the Sheriff’s office, Meade, the officer in question for the shooting has said that the Columbus Police Critical Incident and Response Team will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation, at which time it will be presented to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.” Meanwhile, the Columbus police have said that Meade wasn’t wearing a body camera.

A petition on GoFundMe to raise funds for his “burial” has collected over $30,000. The statement on the petition notes that Casey was shot four times in the back, “shots piercing his lungs and heart.” Goodson’s tragic death has also garnered a lot of attention on social media as a significant number of people have sought justice for his unexpected and tragic death. 

One tweeted, "Another young man was shot 3 times and killed. The police thought his LUNCH was a weapon. How many times are we going to make this 'mistake' and how many times are they not going to receive justice before things change? Black lives matter."

Another added, "BLACK LIVES MATTER AND WILL ALWAYS MATTER. this injustice is heartbreaking and things have to change. continue to spread awareness and inform people about whats happening in the world. this has to stop (petitions to sign in the replies) #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeForCaseyGoodson."

One tweeted, "I just read about the news around the murder of Casey Gooden. Another innocent Black man has had his life taken because an officer thought the sandwich he was holding was a gun. This is horrifying and all too common. #JusticeForCaseyGoodson"