Family of Isaac Goodlow III says part of body cam video of police shooting is missing
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Despite newly-released body camera video showing the police shooting that killed 30-year-old Isaac Goodlow III in his Carol Stream apartment last month, many questions remain.
His family is broken – as well as confused. Not only is a member of their family gone forever, but they say there is a portion of the body camera video that was missing.
Police shot Goodlow in his bedroom on Feb. 3 at the Villagebrook Apartments at 260 E. St. Charles Rd., after responding to a reported domestic violence incident. Officers were responding to a domestic violence call when they entered the one-bedroom apartment.
Carol Stream police released body camera footage from all six officers who entered the one-bedroom unit after speaking to an alleged domestic violence victim who said she was injured in a physical altercation with Goodlow.
Goodlow was shot inside his bedroom – immediately after police opened the door. He was shot once in the chest and died at a nearby hospital.
Goodlow's family sat down with CBS 2 after watching his death on repeat.
"It's not the same," said Goodlow's mother, Bonnie Pigram.
Ms. Pigram wants the world to see what she saw – some of the worst moments of her life.
"But I would like the world to know what happened to my son," Pigram said.
Goodlow's family said there was a portion of the body camera video that was missing when it was released Friday. They said they saw the missing part of the video when they viewed it privately a few weeks ago – but the public is not privy to it.
"They're not showing that he was laying in the bed when they shot him," said Bonnie Pigram. "They're not showing no part of when they Tased him and did anything to him."
Goodlow's sister, Kennetha Barnes, described what she said was the omitted video in the same way.
"We were able to see that Isaac was laying in the bed sleeping, and they shot him and Tasered him while he was in bed, and he rolled over on the floor. But the part that they're giving the public is that he was, you know, on the floor. Give us the part where he was laying in bed," said Goodlow's sister, Kennetha Barnes. "Everything happened quickly - we know that. It was quickly - and immediately when they kicked the door in, they shot. So you still have to see him in order to even have the aim."
Barnes said she believes the omission of part of the body cam video is deliberate.
"The video is so confusing," said Barnes, "and that's what they wanted to do is confuse the public - so that they can continue to covering up."
The body camera footage shows six officers entering the apartment and then enter the bedroom – firing twice. It is difficult to see exactly what happened, as an officer's ballistic shield is in the way.
Police said two officers fired their weapons, and an officer deployed a Taser.
Carol Stream police have said the situation was "tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving," which resulted in them firing.
Goodlow's family said he was unarmed in bed.
"I grew up without my father, and my brother almost had 10 years on me, and he was the first male that I could come to about anything to get his genuine advice and had my best interest," said Goodlow's brother, Michael Pigram, "and I just feel like I was robbed from that; that it was taken away from me."
Goodlow's family has moved to sue the Village of Carol Stream, alleging Goodlow was "shot dead in cold bold by the Village of Carol Stream police officers."
Goodlow's family still does not know the officers' names.
"And I don't believe that they really genuinely cared about saving my brother after the mistake that they made," said Michael Pigram, "because if they did, they would've helped him immediately, and they wouldn't have treated him like a dog - because in the video that we seen, they treated my brother like an animal."
CBS 2 asked police whether or not they discovered another weapon in the home. They have not responded.