In the early hours of a late June morning in 2020, a routine traffic stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, escalated into a tragedy that would claim the life of a veteran police officer. Sergeant Craig Johnson, a 45-year-old male and a 15-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department, was shot multiple times on June 29, 2020. He succumbed to his injuries the following day, leaving behind a wife and two sons.
The incident began around 3:30 a.m.
when an officer from Sergeant Johnson's squad pulled over a vehicle. The driver, David Ware, refused to exit the car, prompting the officers to use de-escalation tactics and non-lethal force, including pepper spray and a taser, to no avail. As Sergeant Johnson and his fellow officer, Aurash Zarkeshan, attempted to remove Ware from the vehicle, he retrieved a handgun from under the driver's seat and opened fire, striking both officers in the head and torso.
After shooting the officers, Ware fled the scene with the assistance of a friend, Matthew Hall, who he had called for help during the traffic stop. An hours-long manhunt ensued, leading to Ware's arrest later that day. Hall was also taken into custody for his role as the getaway driver. While Sergeant Johnson tragically lost his life, Officer Zarkeshan, who was critically injured, survived and was able to return to work in November 2020.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of justice for the fallen officer. On April 22, 2021, David Ware was convicted of first-degree murder, along with several other charges including shooting with intent to kill and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Subsequently, on April 9, 2022, he was sentenced to death. His accomplice, Matthew Hall, was found guilty of two counts of accessory to a felony. In the wake of this event, legislation known as the 'Sgt. Craig Johnson Act' was signed into law, strengthening Oklahoma's accessory to murder statute. This was prompted by the fact that Hall could not be prosecuted for accessory to murder under the previous law because he fled before Johnson died.
