Sergeant Craig Vincent Johnson

Craig Vincent Johnson

Sergeant Craig Johnson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the previous morning when he was shot multiple times during a traffic stop near the intersection of East 21st Street and South 89th East Avenue.

An officer on Sergeant Johnson's squad had conducted the traffic stop at 3:30 am and determined the vehicle had to be impounded. The driver refused to exit the car despite using de-escalation techniques and non-lethal force, including pepper spray and a taser. As Sergeant Johnson and the other officer continued their attempts to remove the driver, the man reached under the driver's seat and retrieved a handgun. He opened fire on both officers, striking each multiple times in the head and torso.

The man fled the scene with the help of a friend he had called for assistance during the traffic stop.

The subject was arrested later in the day and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. On April 22, 2021, he was convicted of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, and obstructing an officer. On April 9, 2022, he was sentenced to death. The friend who aided his escape was found guilty of two counts of accessory to a felony and sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was released on parole after serving only 4 and a half years.

The other officer who was shot was in critical condition for a few months. He returned to work in November 2020.

Sergeant Johnson had served with the Tulsa Police Department for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

On November 3, 2021, a stretch of Highway 169 from 51st to 81st was renamed the Sergeant Craig Johnson Memorial Highway.