In January 2020, Maurice Johnson, a 40-year-old father of two, was tragically killed in Detroit. On a Saturday, after finishing his shift at an oil change shop on Telegraph Road, Johnson was walking to a relative's house to pick up his 2-year-old son. His life was cut short when a driver, who was fleeing from police, lost control of his vehicle and struck him.
The events leading to Johnson's death began when a police officer shot the driver of a vehicle after the driver had struck the
officer with his car. In his attempt to escape, the driver sped away, ultimately losing control and fatally hitting Johnson. Johnson's family was notified of the tragedy in a heartbreaking way; when they called his phone, an employee at a hospital answered.
Maurice Johnson was remembered by his family as a loving father. In the wake of his death, his family expressed their profound grief and emphasized the devastating impact his loss would have on his young son. They described the suspect's actions as having 'ran over a totally innocent man' and taking the life of someone who was cherished by his family and friends. An internal investigation was opened by the police department to review the officer's use of force in shooting the driver who caused the fatal crash.
