On a Friday evening, February 5, 2016, in the coastal city of Seaside, Oregon, the life of 39-year-old Caucasian male, Sergeant Jason Michael Goodding, was tragically cut short in the line of duty. A 13-year veteran of the Seaside Police Department, Goodding was a respected officer, husband, and father to two young daughters.
That night, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Sergeant Goodding and a fellow officer, David Davidson, identified a man on the 300 block of Broadway Street who had an
active felony warrant. The subject, later identified as 55-year-old Phillip Ferry, had an extensive criminal history that included 17 felonies. As the officers attempted to arrest him, Ferry resisted. The second officer deployed a Taser in an attempt to subdue him, but the measure was not enough to prevent the tragedy that followed.
Despite the attempt to incapacitate him, Ferry was able to pull out a firearm and shoot Sergeant Goodding. The bullet struck Goodding in a location not protected by his ballistic vest. Officer Davidson immediately returned fire, and Ferry was killed at the scene from three gunshot wounds. Sergeant Goodding was rushed to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
In the aftermath, Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis confirmed that the use of force by the police against Ferry was justifiable. An investigation was also launched to determine how Ferry, a convicted felon, had illegally obtained the weapon he used to kill Sergeant Goodding. This investigation led to the arrest and eventual 12-year federal prison sentence of Jamie Lee Jones, the man whose pistol Ferry had stolen and used in the shooting. The community of Seaside mourned the loss of Sergeant Goodding, a man remembered as a dedicated officer and a beloved coach for various local sports teams.
