Ohio State forward Seth Towns paid tribute to his fallen friend Casey Goodson Jr. by taking a knee during the national anthem before the Buckeyes battled the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tuesday. Goodson Jr. is a childhood friend of Towns who was shot and killed by police earlier this month.
"[I am] broken-hearted this morning to learn that a young man I grew up with and one of the most kind-hearted people I’ve ever known, Casey Goodson, was killed by a Columbus Police veteran and current US Marshal yesterday," Towns tweeted before Tuesday's win against the Irish.
Goodson Jr. was reportedly shot and killed by Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Meade on December 4. Officers arrived in the area after receiving reports of a nearby shooting. While wrapping up their work, officers say that Towns drove by waving a gun. When officers confronted Goodson Jr., he allegedly attempted to flee and officers fatally shot him.
However, family, friends and members of the community say that the police's account of the encounter is inaccurate. Rather, members of Goodson Jr.'s family say that he was shot in the back as he entered his home carrying a Subway sandwich. The 23-year-old man did have a firearm at the time, but he had legally obtained a permit to do so.
Initial autopsy reports indicate that Goodson Jr. was shot multiple times in his torso. Complete autopsy results will not be available for approximately three months.
In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and now his friend, Goodson Jr., Towns promises to continue to fight for change in any way that he can.
"I won't stop," he said.
"I will continue to use my voice to speak out for the people who are unheard, and that's what I did. Voice is so important. And when I say 'voice,' I'm not talking about speaking, per se; I'm talking about actions. I'm talking about going out and protesting, and doing your duty as a member of this democracy."
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