U.S. federal authorities are to investigate the shooting death of a black man in Ohio last week, the Justice Department said.
The Justice Department said this in a statement issued in Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus – in coordination with the local and bureau of the FBI and other authorities – are to review the facts and circumstances surrounding the shooting of a man named Casey Goodson on Dec. 4, the department said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would take appropriate action if the evidence indicates any federal civil rights laws were violated, according to the statement.
Police in Columbus earlier said that a police officer shot dead a 23-year-old African American named Casey Goodson last Friday while searching for suspects.
But Goodson was apparently not one of the actual suspects.
Lawyers for the victim’s family have made serious allegations against the security forces.
The lawyers said Goodson was shot dead by the policeman while he was unlocking his own front door.
There have been violent protests this past year over police brutality against black people in the U.S.
The most prominent victim was George Floyd, who was killed in a brutal police operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the end of May.
There were mass demonstrations against police violence and racism in the USA for months under the motto “Black Lives Matter’’, some of which were overshadowed by riots.
