DuPage County prosecutors not pressing charges in deadly police shooting

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A family says it is heartbroken but will not give up after DuPage County prosecutors decided against pressing charges in a deadly police shooting.

State's Attorney Robert Berlin said he can't prove that a Carol Stream officer “was not legally justified in using deadly force.” The officer claimed self-defense.

“It is indeed a tragedy any time a human life is lost,” said Berlin, the prosecutor in DuPage County. “Criminal charges can only be filed, however, if the evidence is sufficient to support a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Isaac Goodlow III was fatally shot by police responding to a domestic violence call.

Police arrived in the middle of the night in response to a 911 call from a woman who said Goodlow had beaten her before she fled from their shared apartment. She had a black eye and bloody lip.

Police announced themselves for nearly an hour, but Goodlow refused to open the door. Six officers finally entered the dark apartment after a building employee provided a key.

Body-camera video showed Goodlow's “knee or thigh coming out of the bedroom door" when an officer opened it with his foot, Berlin said.

The officer shot Goodlow in the chest. He told investigators that he believed Goodlow was “pointing something at me, throwing something at me or reaching for my firearm,” according to a summary released by Berlin.

His family said they will keep fighting for justice.

“We want the world to know what we lost and what they took from us, cause Isaac meant something to us. He meant something to a lot of people,” said Michael Pigram, Goodlow’s younger brother.

Bonnie Pigram is the mother of Goodlow. She said she is disappointed in the decision.

“I'm very frustrated, because I thought he was gonna do the right thing. Because they know when they went in there they did wrong. They covering up. That's why they're not showing everything, they're covering up,” she said.

Goodlow's family is still pursuing a civil case.

Carol Stream Police say the officer who fired the deadly shot has been fired.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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