Prosecutor: Cop Justified in Shooting Casino Garage Jumper

NEW LONDON, Conn. (Associated Press) — A prosecutor in Connecticut says a police officer was justified in firing shots at a 23-year-old man who then jumped to his death from the fourth floor of a parking garage at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in September of 2016.

New London State’s Attorney Michael Regan released a report Friday that notes Michael Goodale had pointed a gun at police Sergeant Kevin Leach, who was trying to make an arrest for an outstanding probation violation.

Regan’s report says Leach fired two shots at Goodale, hitting the suspect in the foot.

Witnesses told police that Goodale then leaped from the garage. An autopsy showed he died from blunt force injuries.

Regan says Leach would have been justified in using deadly force, but noted the death resulted instead from the 81-foot (24.6 meter) fall.