Casey Goodson Jr. shot 6 times; 5 bullets entered back, 1 entered buttock, coroner reports

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The official coroner report was released Thursday following the police shooting death of Casey Goodson Jr. last December.

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Franklin County Coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz said Goodson was shot a total of six times. Five of the bullets entered Goodson's back and one entered his buttock, said Ortiz.

She determined the cause of death was "gunshot wounds of the torso." She said "torso" is a term to define the midsection of the body, which includes front and back. The manner of death was "homicide."

After Goodson's death, investigators confirmed he was shot by Franklin County Deputy Jason Meade.

“We have known since the moment we found him on the kitchen floor that he was murdered,” said Tamala Payne, Casey Goodson Jr.’s mother. “This report says it right there, Jason Meade murdered my son in his own home.”

MORE: Attorney for Casey Goodson Jr.'s family says he was shot 6 times, 5 times in the back

But legal experts said the report on its own doesn't prove anything and is simply one part of the overall puzzle.

"You just can't accept it at face value," said Sam Shamansky, a Columbus defense attorney. Shamansky said he always calls in an outside expert to review forensic reports. He said both sides should do that.

“I can't imagine either side would take an expert's word for it without verifying it and trying to tear it apart to suit their own needs," he said.

Deputy Meade is on leave during the investigation. Goodson's family said they want Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin to take stronger action against Meade, but Baldwin said he needs to remain impartial and has distanced himself from the investigation.

“Just like everybody else we're waiting for this to go to a grand jury," Baldwin said.

Columbus Police has been investigating the shooting and said it sent a preliminary grand jury packet for the investigation to the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office on Jan. 14.

The FBI has been conducting a civil rights investigation into Goodson's death. The full coroner's report can be read here.