By John Q. Hosedrinker As I sit here and try to process the news of yet another senseless killing of a Black man by law enforcement, I am overwhelmed with anger, sadness, and frustration. Casey Goodson Jr., a young Black man, was fatally shot by an Ohio deputy who claimed that he saw Goodson waving a gun at him. But here’s the thing, Goodson didn’t have a gun. He was holding sandwiches and keys. How does a sandwich and keys resemble a gun? They don’t.
It’s sickening to see the lengths that law enforcement will go to justify their actions. The deputy in question wasn’t even wearing a body camera, conveniently leaving no visual evidence of what truly happened. And yet, they claim that Goodson turned to lift his gun and that they feared for their lives. But again, no gun was found on Goodson, except in his house, nowhere near his person. So, by their logic, if someone owns a gun, it’s perfectly justifiable to shoot them? That is not the America I want to live in.
What’s even more disheartening is the fact that police are trained on how to get away with this. They know all the loopholes, all the excuses to use to escape consequences. And when they do face any repercussions, it’s often just paid vacation time before they’re back on the job with a promotion. It’s a slap in the face to the families who have lost loved ones at the hands of these officers.
I can’t help but think of the countless other cases where innocent Black men and women have been killed by law enforcement for simply existing. The name Daniel Shaver comes to mind. Like Goodson, Shaver was suspected of having a gun. Like Goodson, Shaver would have been within his rights to have a gun. Like Goodson, Shaver did not have a gun. And yet, he was killed by police anyway. What kind of twisted system allows for this kind of injustice?
It’s clear to me that there is a deep-rooted issue in our law enforcement system. The truth is, people of color are not safe from police violence, no matter how closely they follow the law. The police can simply walk into a room and kill you without consequence, then lie about it. And even when the facts contradict their lies, they still face little to no consequence.
What will it take for change to happen? How many more innocent Black lives need to be lost before we see real justice? It’s not enough to hold a few officers accountable while the system that enables them to act with impunity remains intact. We need a complete overhaul of our law enforcement system. Policing should be treated as a true profession, with rigorous training, increased pay, and an independent board that holds officers accountable for their actions.
As a doctor, I took an oath to advocate for my patients and face serious consequences if I ever violate that oath. Why shouldn’t the same be true for police officers who hold the power to take someone’s life? It’s time to demand change and not stop until we see it implemented. Black lives matter, and it’s about time our justice system recognizes that.