Grace Street shooting, December 2011
/ File photo
SYRACUSE -- The Syracuse police officer involved in a shooting last month was justified in shooting a man. That's according to an Onondaga County Grand Jury.
The incident happened around 6 p.m. on December 15 at a home along Grace Street. That's between Delaware and Massena Streets, a few blocks east of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Homeowners called police when they heard someone trying to break through the back door of their second floor apartment.
Here's how prosecutors describe what happened next:
Syracuse Police Officer Scott Henderson arrived and was directed to the backyard of the residence. After Officer Henderson checked out the backyard, he started to ascend the stairs to the deck. He heard someone warn him not to come up the stairs to the deck. Officer Henderson initially did not see anyone on the deck. He pointed his service weapon in the direction of the voice, identified himself as a police officer and ordered the person to show his hands. That person turned out to be Adam Goodman. Goodman did not comply with the officer's command and instead threatened to shoot and kill him, bragging to Officer Henderson that he had a gun. Goodman then crouched and moved towards the stairs. Officer Henderson then noticed that Goodman had a gun pointed directly at him. Officer Henderson attempted to take cover and shoot at the same time. Goodman was not hit by Officer Henderson's first shot and he found cover at the corner of the house. Goodman again pointed his gun at Officer Henderson and again Officer Henderson fired. While reloading, Officer Henderson heard Goodman kicking at the back door of the residence, attempting to gain entry. Officer Henderson stepped out from the corner to see if Goodman entered the residence and again ordered him to drop the weapon. Officer Henderson heard what sounded like a small caliber weapon being fired at him from Goodman. Officer Henderson again took cover and fired back at Goodman from underneath the deck, through the bottom of the decking boards. Officer Henderson fired multiple shots appearing to have hit Goodman at least once. A standoff ensued with the police and The Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called. The standoff lasted approximately two hours and twenty minutes. When it appeared Goodman was no longer moving and no longer verbally responding to them, officers used a pole to move the gun away from Goodman and it was recovered and secured. He was pronounced dead by members of Rural Metro at 8:54 p.m.
Goodman was shot once in the left abdomen. Prosecutors say the autopsy found the projectile's trajectory and Goodman's wound were consistent with physical evidence and witness statements.
The gun used by Goodman turned out to be a BB gun but looked like a real handgun. A syringe and cocaine were also recovered next to Goodman's body. The autopsy shows Goodman had cocaine, cocaine metabolite and morphine in his system at the time of his death.
Police say Goodman was a convicted felon and was wanted in connection with a recent burglary.
