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Expert watches deadly police action shooting, weighs in

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The family of Christopher Goodlow marched down to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department headquarters on Monday morning.

This was two days after Goodlow died in a police action shooting. A bystander caught the shooting on cell phone video. In the footage a shirtless Goodlow is seen pacing back and forth with a knife in his hand.

Officers formed a circle around Goodlow, yelling at him to put his knife down.

He didn’t listen. At one point it appears Goodlow charges one of the officers. No shots were fired and the 25-year-old took a steps away from officers.

Officers encouraged him to put his knife down. He didn’t listen and in fact he charged officers again. This time several shots were fired at Goodlow, and he died from his injures.

Not only did officers try to reason with Goodlow, they also used a Tazer on him before resulting to deadly force.

Goodlow’s family is calling for the department to have more training to deal with people with a mental illness. According to relatives, Goodlow suffered from mental illness and he was suicidal that day.

We watched the deadly encounter with Dr. Paul Whitesell. Currently Whitesell works with the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. He holds more than 30 years of law enforcement experience where he trains officers.

Although he wasn’t on the scene that night, Whitesell made it clear that officers are trained to keep an armed suspect at least 21 feet away.

“If you have a knife and you encroach in close distance to an officer you have put yourself in position where they (officers) can use deadly force,” said Whitesell.

Goodlow’s family have not said if they will file a lawsuit.

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