We are living in turbulent times. The pandemic and relentless tide of police brutality demonstrates that injustice is unceasing. Unceasing because we continue to see the devastation caused by the pandemic on Black and Brown communities. We also see the unrelenting tide of police shootings of unarmed Black citizens on Black families and communities. The recent Casey Goodson and Andre Hill murders in Columbus, Ohio bring these realities into stark relief.
The murder of Casey Goodson, a 23-year-old Black male, is part of a continued pattern of problematic behavior by law enforcement in Columbus, OH. In December, Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Meade, currently assigned to the United States Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force, was searching for a fugitive. Unable to find the fugitive, Meade was concluding his duties when he met Goodson. Goodson and Meade then engaged in a verbal exchange. Two versions of this encounter and what happened next have appeared. According to Goodson’s attorney, Goodson returned from a dentist’s appointment with food for his elderly grandmother and son. After a nonviolent engagement with Meade, Meade shot Goodson twice in the back. Goodson managed to stumble into his residence and died in the presence of his family. Officer Meade entered the residence, brandishing a gun and ordering the residents to get on the floor. According to a statement from the Franklin County Sheriff’s office, Meade was searching for the fugitive and met Goodson. A verbal exchange occurred, and Meade shot Goodson. A gun was recovered from Goodson. The statement concludes: “Mr. Goodson was not the person being sought.” Again, it appears that the official version does not add up. Goodson was a licensed gun owner. He was clearly entering his home at the time of the shooting. Goodson’s keys were lodged in the lock. No footage of the incident exists because Officer Meade was not wearing a body camera. The case is still under investigation.
A more egregious case is that of Andre Hill. Hill was visiting a family friend in Northeast Columbus during the Christmas holiday. Officers were dispatched to the location on a disturbance call related to a gray SUV's constant restarting. When officers arrived at the scene, Hill was in the garage of the residence. Officer Adam Coy and his partner approached Hill from both sides. Coy instructed Hill to exit the garage. Hill approached them with his hands up and a cell phone in his left hand. Officer Adam Coy shouted that Hill had a gun before shooting him to death. Coy failed to render timely first aid. Hill died at the scene. No weapon was found on Hill, and Coy's body cam did not activate until after the shooting. Officer Coy was fired. After the police released footage, Benjamin Crump, the Hill's family attorney, summed up the situation: "What is Andre Hill's crime? Is it because he is a Black man, and for whatever reason, police in America shoot first and ask questions later?"
The fact these incidents continue to occur is disturbing. The dual realities of the pandemic and long histories of brutalizing Black citizens without accountability coexist. The mistreatment of citizens seems a daily occurrence. Despite the continued spotlight on law enforcement agencies' behavior, practices, and policies around the country, these attacks are still commonplace. It appears that injustice is unceasing. Only people of goodwill and those determined to create a more equitable society can make a substantive difference.
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