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The family of 32-year-old Da’Quain Tre Johnson is demanding answers — and justice — after he was shot multiple times by a Grand Rapids police officer and later died at a local hospital.
According to the Grand Rapids Police Department, officers began pursuing Johnson around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday (February 18) after receiving a call about a man believed to be armed. Police say Johnson was riding a bicycle through the Baxter neighborhood in southeast Grand Rapids before entering the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 500 block of Eastern Avenue.
Police released partial body camera footage during a Thursday (February 19) press conference. The video shows Johnson getting off his bike and falling to the ground as officers close in. A K-9 was deployed and appears to latch onto Johnson’s arm. Officers can be heard shouting commands, including telling him to stop moving and to drop a gun. Moments later, gunshots are heard. Police say one officer fired their weapon and that three shots were discharged.
Johnson was transported to a hospital, where he died early Thursday morning. The shooting is now being investigated by the Michigan State Police Sixth District Incident Response Team.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said during the department’s initial briefing that officers believed Johnson had a gun and that he was on parole for a prior firearms conviction, which would make him legally prohibited from possessing a weapon. A handgun was recovered from the parking lot where the shooting occurred. However, questions remain about how the encounter escalated — and whether the use of force was justified.
Johnson’s mother, Angelica Johnson, spoke publicly Friday night (February 20) during a press conference surrounded by community members and organizers. Fighting back tears, she delivered a message that was both deeply personal and directed at city leadership.
“My son is gone,” she said, per WZZM13. “Gone. They executed my baby.”
She pushed back against the narrative surrounding her son’s criminal history. “To the police chief, I’m not mad at y’all,” she said, per Wood TV. “What I want y’all to know is, yeah, Da’Quain was on parole. Da’Quain was a convicted felon. But Da’Quain had a heart of gold. And if being a convicted felon and being on parole is justified, is a justifiable cause to execute? Because they didn’t just shoot him, they shot him execution style. It was up close and personal.”
Johnson also described seeing her son’s body for the first time. “I saw where the dog had mauled him in the neck,” she said. “I seen where he got shot in the back of the head. What I saw no mother should have to see. That’s what I’m going to say.”
During the department’s earlier press conference, Chief Winstrom said he did not believe Johnson had been shot in the head and stated that it appeared he was struck in the chest or torso area. The department has said additional body camera footage from other responding officers is being processed and could be released at a later date.
At the community gathering in Boston Square, Johnson’s mother made it clear she wants accountability — but not chaos. “I also want to let the community know, I thank them for their support,” she said. “I do, however, want to reiterate that I do not condone any type of violence. Not even to the officer who shot my son.”
She called for peaceful demonstrations and urged supporters to channel their anger into meaningful change.
“I need the community to know: I want you to show up and show out, but we got to show out in the right way. Because the only way we can make a difference if is if we stop acting the way they want us to.”
Before leaving the podium, she spoke directly to parents. “Remember, hold your kids tight,” she said. “Because you don’t know — if you’re not in on this march, you don’t know if your child is the next one.”
Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack also addressed the crowd, drawing parallels to previous high-profile police killings captured on video, including Patrick Lyoya and George Floyd. He said what concerns him most is what he described as a familiar pattern.
“What continues to happen is what you see on video, they continue to tell you: ‘That’s not what you saw,’” Womack said. “The only thing this community can do wrong is to do nothing.”
As the investigation continues, Johnson’s family says they are waiting for more transparency — including full video footage and official autopsy findings.
For now, Johnson says her focus is clear. “I will get justice,” she said.
The officer involved has not been publicly identified. The Michigan State Police investigation remains ongoing.
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