COLUMBUS, Ohio — Casey Christopher Goodson Jr.’s mother, Tamala Payne, spoke out about her son’s death on CNN, alongside her attorney.
“This was senseless. My son would not have harmed a fly. If my son was given a command, he would have listened. He was a law abiding citizen, everything he did was legal,” Payne said.
She claims that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“The kid had a whole life ahead of him, he had plans, he had dreams, he wanted to be a CCW instructor, he had his CDL license, he was working and saving, trying to save enough money to purchase his own truck,” Payne said.
Goodson was shot by Franklin County deputy Jason Meade in north Columbus on Dec. 4. He later was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The Columbus Division of Police Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting.
10TV spoke with Malissa Thomas-St. Clair, who is the founder of Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children.
“Our purpose was to say out of the mouths of mothers that the streets now need to be turned back over to peace that our community deserves our children, and when I say children, I mean birth to however old,” St. Clair said.
St. Clair was also Goodson’s former sixth-grade math teacher.
“Casey as a sixth-grader was the most compassionate, loving, selfless student. He was helpful, he always wanted to do, he loved to be able to just put a smile on your face. He was light-hearted and funny,” St. Clair said.
St. Clair understands pain. She lost her son in 2013.
“When that child is taken from you at any age, it literally can take you out. You can’t breathe sometimes, you can’t eat, you can’t think, you can’t function, but then at times you go into celebratory moments of memories and love and then you go into supportive times and if you have other children like myself, you go into well I have to be present for this child,” St. Clair said.
She said Goodson reached out to her after her son passed away.
“This is a 16-year-old. 'You guys are in my prayers, and I wanted to know if there’s anything I can do to raise money, or anything that will help. I would be honored to.' And then he goes on to say, 'I remember you as a strong woman, so if you ever need an ear to talk to, I’ll be there for you',” St. Clair said.
St. Clair said they have been in contact with Goodson’s mother and their organization is there with open arms.
“She’s holding up with the strength of a mother’s spirit for justice of Casey,” St. Clair said.
Earlier this week we spoke with Franklin County Sheriff, Dallas Baldwin.
“I know families are hurting, we have several families affected in a horrible way because of this,” Sheriff Baldwin said.
He said he hears these pleas.
“Our desire is to have a full, transparent, complete and fair investigation,” Sheriff Baldwin said.
On Thursday, Tamala Payne and the attorneys for Casey Goodson's family will hold a virtual press conference.