On November 24, 2023, a young man named Jacob Hess, a 20-year-old male, tragically lost his life in Bountiful, Utah. Known as a vibrant and outgoing person with a passion for music, particularly rap, Jacob's death sent shockwaves through his community. He was a beloved son, brother, and friend whose life was cut short in what has been described as an accidental shooting.
The incident occurred at the home of his high school friend, 21-year-old Dylan Francis Goodin.
Jacob, Goodin, and a third friend had gathered at Goodin's residence with the intention of going to a nearby shooting range. Inside a basement bedroom, Goodin was handling a Taurus handgun when it discharged. The bullet struck Jacob, who immediately stood up, clutched his shoulder, and exclaimed, "I got shot — call the police."
When law enforcement arrived at the Millcreek Way home, they found Goodin outside, who reportedly told them, "It was an accident. Arrest me. Arrest me now." Goodin himself had sustained a gunshot wound to his hand, and investigators believe the same bullet that injured him also fatally wounded Jacob Hess. Emergency responders treated Jacob at the scene, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Dylan Goodin was taken into custody and has been cooperating with the ongoing investigation. He was subsequently charged with manslaughter, a second-degree felony, along with possession of a weapon by a restricted person, drug possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia. A search of Goodin's bedroom uncovered alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. According to court documents, a witness stated they saw Goodin holding the gun pointed in Jacob's direction with his finger on the trigger and saw him pull the trigger. Goodin reportedly told investigators that he had checked to make sure the weapon was empty, but it fired when he racked it.
