The family of Casey Goodson Jr. say he did not have a gun in his hand when Columbus, Ohio police deputy Jason Meade shot and killed him.
The 23-year-old was reportedly entering his house after returning from a dentist appointment, carrying sandwiches at the time of the shooting.
As more details emerge from the case, federal authorities have been called upon to join the investigation.
The decision to allow the FBI to take the lead in the investigation came after US District Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers received a briefing from Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation refused to take the case citing a memorandum of understanding with the Columbus Police Department that they would be called in first in a case like this.
“We cannot be the subject matter experts unless we’re on the scene from the beginning to document the evidence of what happened from the start. Three days later after the crime scene has been dismantled and the witness(es) have all dispersed does not work,” a spokesperson with the BCI said in a statement obtained by CNN.
An initial autopsy report by Franklin County coroner Dr. Anahi M. Ortiz ruled Goodson’s death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. Ortiz released the report Wednesday (December 9) a day after performing the preliminary autopsy.
Ortiz said in the press release, “cause of death, at this time, is preliminary,” adding, “We anticipate a final report in approximately 12 to 14 weeks.”
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the Columbus Police Critical Incident Response Team will also join the FBI in the investigation.
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