New Details Emerge In Seaside Officer Shooting

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Law enforcement officials released new details Tuesday in the shooting death of a Seaside police sergeant, including a ruling that police used justifiable force against the suspect.

A felon with an extensive criminal history —Phillip Ferry — shot and killed Sgt. Jason Goodding earlier this month during an arrest attempt. Goodding was wearing a bulletproof vest when he was shot, but the bullet struck him "under the vest," according to law enforcement.

Goodding’s fellow Seaside officer, David Davidson, returned fire at Ferry after Goodding had been shot. Ferry eventually died from three gunshot wounds.

"I cannot help but note that Sgt. Goodding was well known to all of us in the law enforcement community. His death has hit all of us where we live. Despite that pain, it was critical that a full and fair investigation of the shooting of Mr. Ferry take place," Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis wrote in a statement Tuesday.

Related: Hundreds Mourn Loss Of Slain Seaside Police Officer

Ferry had a criminal history that included 17 felonies and a warrant for his arrest when he encountered Goodding and Davidson, according to Marquis.

"Every piece of evidence, every witness, leads us to the same conclusion — that Phillip Ferry, with a long history of resisting arrests and assault on police officers, was given every opportunity to surrender peaceably to uniformed officers," the DA wrote. "He not only refused but made statements that now seem to indicate that he intended to do worse."

Law enforcement reviewing the case say they studied autopsy reports and body camera footage, among other evidence, in the shooting.

Marquis said law enforcement has also opened an investigation, aided by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, into how Ferry illegally obtained the weapon he used.

Hundreds of people turned up for a Feb. 12 memorial service for Goodding.

Seaside Police Sgt. Gary Welborn couldn’t hold back tears as he eulogized Goodding, his partner at the department. He spoke directly to his friend, who lay in the flag-draped casket below the podium.

“Godspeed to you,” Welborn said. “We have the watch.”