Jion Broomfield was a 19-year-old Black man from Beloit, Wisconsin, described by his mother as a "social butterfly" who loved sports. He had graduated from Beloit Memorial High School just the year before his death and was making plans to enroll at Blackhawk Technical College. His family’s grief was compounded by the fact that his death came only two months after his 17-year-old cousin, Byron Broomfield, was also killed by gun violence.
On the evening of January 29, 2022, Jion attended
a basketball game at his former high school between Beloit Memorial and Madison’s La Follette High School. After the game, at approximately 8:55 p.m., shots were fired in the school parking lot. Jion was struck by a gunshot. He was taken to the emergency room at Beloit Memorial Hospital, where he later died from his wound.
When police arrived at the high school, they found evidence of a shooting but learned the victim had already been transported to the hospital. Investigators estimated that 30 to 40 people witnessed the incident but were frustrated by an initial lack of cooperation. Jion’s aunt, Birdia McAlister, made a public appeal for anyone with information to come forward. The investigation progressed after police received crucial information from the community through the P3 Tips app.
The tips led authorities to identify Amaree A. Goodall, a 19-year-old from Madison who had reportedly attended the game as a fan of the visiting team. A warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of first-degree reckless homicide. On March 30, 2022, Goodall was located and arrested without incident in Holland, Michigan. He was extradited to Wisconsin to face the charge in Rock County Circuit Court, where his bond was set at $500,000.
The case concluded with a plea agreement before it went to trial. In September 2024, Amaree Goodall, then 21, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to five years in prison, which will be followed by five years of extended supervision.
