Family of Isaac Goodlow reaches $9.4 million settlement over fatal police shooting in Carol Stream

The family of a man who was shot and killed by police inside his home in west suburban Carol Stream in 2024 has agreed to settle their federal lawsuit against the village and six officers for $9.4 million.

Court records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show Isaac Goodlow's family reached the settlement agreement last month, dismissing the lawsuit filed by Goodlow's sisters, Kyenna McConico and Kennetha Barnes.

The agreement prohibits either side from discussing the settlement, and under the terms of the deal, the village and the officers do not admit any liability or illegal conduct in Goodlow's death.

Goodlow was 30 years old when he was killed by Officer Daniel Pfingston as Carol Stream police responded to a domestic violence call at his home on Feb. 3, 2024.

Pfingston arrived at Goodlow's apartment building in response to a 911 call saying a "boy just jumped on my sister."

"He jumped on her, she came to our house screaming and crying, her eye is black, her lip is busted," the caller told 911.

Goodlow's attorneys have said the person who called 911 was the sister of a woman who had a relationship with Isaac.

When a 911 dispatcher asked if there were any weapons involved, the caller said no.

Body camera footage shows officers enter Goodlow's bedroom before he was shot and killed.

Carol Stream police have said Goodlow took an aggressive step towards them when they entered and claimed they couldn't see what, if anything, was in his hands. The officer who shot him, Danny Pfingston, no longer works for the department. The village never explained why.

The family maintains that Goodlow was unarmed, in bed at the time of the shooting, and that the woman who called 911 was outside the apartment and not seriously hurt when police arrived.

Dupage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin chose not to charge any of the officers with a crime.

In a recorded deposition for the lawsuit, Pfingston described in his own words why he shot Goodlow.

"The plan was, I am in the front with my shield and my firearm," Pfingston said in the deposition video. "There is someone behind me with a Taser. And two people behind, hands on. And the plan was to enter the apartment and attempt to effect the arrest of Isaac."

Pfingston described the stance he planned to take as "Captain America-style," in the deposition video, elaborating: "Shield up."

Pfingston was first in a line of six officers. In his body camera video, the shield he is holding partially obstructs the camera's view. Still, you can see officers calling out and getting no response; they narrow in on Goodlow's bedroom, and he had not responded.

In the deposition, Pfingston described Goodlow as standing and reaching towards him when he shot him.

"I had just taken a human life, and I was very emotional and stressed," Pfingston explained in the deposition.

No weapon was ever found in Goodlow's bedroom.

Pfingston said he didn't fill out a primary incident report the night of the shooting. He gave a written statement 48 hours later, and had time to review his own body camera video and that of the body cameras of other officers.