On Friday, December 4th, 23 year-old Casey Christian Goodson Jr, was shot three times in the back and murdered by Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Meade. The US Marshals were in Estate Place in Northeast Columbus finishing up work for the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Task Force (SOFAST) when allegedly, according to police, Goodson Jr drove by waving a gun. However, Casey's sister refutes this: Goodson Jr had walked across the yard, walked into the back fence to get to the side door, with his Subway sandwich and mask in one hand and keys in the other, unlocked and opened the door, and stepped in the house before being shot by police. Instead of leaving Goodson Jr alone, police killed Goodson Jr, who was a licensed concealed carry weapon holder. Just two days earlier in nearby Delaware, Merak Burr, a white man, was pulled over for speeding. Instead of complying with officers, Burr became agitated and pulled out his gun, which he did not have a concealed carry weapons license for. In spite of this, Burr was initially let go but arrested two hours later. 

These stories elucidate a common occurrence in the United States: Black folx, especially Black Transgender folx, are targeted and killed by police at disproportionate rates. The murder of Casey Christian Goodson Jr cannot be swept under the rug as so many murders of Black and Brown folx, and the city of Columbus must continue to eliminate the issue of systemic racism through innovative and progressive strategies. 

We, the people of Columbus, demand that:

1. The murderer of Casey Christian Goodson Jr be fired immediately. 

2. The murderer of Casey Christian Goodson Jr be tried for murder.

3. Mayor Andrew Ginther and the Columbus City Council publicly condemn the murder of Casey Christian Goodson Jr.

4. The negotiation of the Civilian Review Board and its components be transparent to the public, open to feedback from the people, and not be weakened by police influence.

5. The City of Columbus and Columbus City Council defund the CPD and instead invest in solutions that root out systemic racism and empower communities, which have been advocated for by numerous grassroots organizations, such as BQIC, in Columbus.