'It was unjustified': Family of man fatally shot by Carol Stream police demands answers, accountability
CAROL STREAM, Ill. - The mother of Isaac Goodlow III is pleading for justice after body-camera video showing her son's shooting death by Carol Stream police in early February was released to the public.
In the weeks following her son’s death, Bonnie Pigram says the pain is getting harder to bear.
She also says she and her loved ones still have more questions than answers about what unfolded in her son’s apartment.
"I'm going to have this pain because I felt like they just snatched my son away from me and I feel like they've broken my heart – a heart that's going to be broken for the rest of my life," Bonnie said.
As Bonnie grapples with the loss of her son, she is also desperate for more details about his death.
"It was unjustified – my son was asleep. He was shot down in cold blood while he was asleep. He wasn't even aware there was police officers in his house," she said.
Police were responding to a domestic disturbance at Goodlow's apartment in the early morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 3, where they were met outside by a woman who identified herself as Goodlow's girlfriend.
"The alleged victim had injuries that she claimed were the result of a physical altercation that had just taken place between she and Mr. Goodlow," said Carol Stream Police Chief Donald Cummings.
After 45 minutes of trying to contact Goodlow, police say six officers entered his unit.
As they approached his bedroom, Cummings says two officers discharged their weapons and another deployed a Taser.
"To go in there and hunt him down like that, they had their weapons out. That's not right," said Goodlow's uncle, Henry Pigram.
In a statement following the shooting, police called the situation "tense" but haven't explained what led officers to fire their weapons.
Bonnie says her son was sleeping at the time of the shooting.
She also tells FOX 32 Chicago that when the family viewed the body-camera video last month, they saw video showing him asleep – but it’s video she says was not included in the redacted video that was made public.
RELATED: Videos released of Carol Stream police fatally shooting Isaac Goodlow III
Police said footage in the video identifying individuals was redacted in compliance with the Illinois Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera Act and the Freedom of Information Act.
The entirety of the video, including what happened before and after the shooting, will be released later after the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office finishes its review, according to the Village of Carol Stream.
Additionally, a statement from the village said the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office will review forensic evidence, witness accounts and officers' statements before making a determination on the actions of those involved.
"Every day, I cry because I'm hurt, especially because they didn't do their job right. He would have still been alive if they did their job right," Bonnie said.
Bonnie is now calling for the names of the officers to be made public.
"How long they've been on the force, were they trained correctly and who the cops are because I don't know anything," she said.
Goodlow's uncle is also demanding accountability from Carol Stream police.
"The chief needs to explain why did his officers take that kid's life like that – that's what he need to explain, or he needs to resign," he said.
We reached out to the Village of Carol Stream for a statement in response to the family’s calls for the chief’s resignation but did not immediately hear back.
The family says they will be holding a vigil for Goodlow on Monday at noon at the Carol Stream Police Department.
On Monday at 6 p.m., a Carol Stream Village Board meeting is scheduled. The agenda does not include any items pertaining to the police shooting of Goodlow.
During a board meeting last month, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, Carol Stream Mayor Frank Saverino addressed Goodlow’s family. This was also the first time Goodlow’s family was able to speak face-to-face with village leaders.