COLUMBUS (WCMH) — It’s now been nearly eight months since Casey Goodson Jr. was shot and killed by a Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy.

On Saturday, friends, family, neighbors, and community members rallied around his loved ones demanding justice. 

Sean Walton, the attorney for Goodson’s family, said he wanted the rally to be a call for the immediate indictment and arrest of former Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy Jason Meade.

Walton said it is important for the public to remain urgent and push the prosecutors to indict Meade as soon as possible.

Tamala Payne, Goodson’s mother, said she hopes the turnout at the rally will speak volumes to those in charge of the investigation.

“Jason Meade is still at home,” Payne said. “Jason Meade needs to be held accountable for his actions. We’re tired of waiting. The demand for justice is on. We have special prosecutors working on the case and we want charges.” 

Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack appointed two attorneys – Tim Merkle and Gary Shroyer — as special prosecutors in Goodson’s death.

NBC 4 reached out to Meade’s attorney, Mark Colllins, for comment, but has not heard back from him.

Meade announced in June that he would leave the sheriff’s office on disability retirement, effective July 2, 2021. He had been on paid administrative leave since the shooting.

In the final autopsy report, the Franklin County Coroner’s Office reported Goodson, Jr. was shot six times in the back, and declared the killing a homicide. Goodson’s mother has said she wanted murder charges filed against Meade, but none has been filed until now.

Meade was on assignment with the U.S. Marshal’s Service fugitive task force in the Northland area when the shooting occurred. Authorities say Goodson was not a target of the marshal’s operations.

Meade’s attorney claimed Goodson pointed a gun at Meade, while Goodson’s family said the 23-year old was holding Subway sandwiches and unlocking a door at his family’s house when he was shot.

The Goodson shooting has been investigated by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Columbus Police, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Meanwhile, the FBI is investigating whether Meade violated Goodson’s civil rights.