Ferguson, Mo. — Ferguson police confirmed on Sunday that Dorian Johnson, the man who was with Michael Brown during the 2014 fatal officer-involved shooting that sparked nationwide protests, was killed earlier in the day. Johnson, 33, was found suffering from gunshot wounds after police responded to reports of shots fired in the 9000 block of Abaco Drive around 8:30 a.m.
According to a department spokesperson, officers arrived at the scene and located Johnson with critical injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, but despite life-saving efforts, he later succumbed to his injuries.
The shooting remains under investigation, and police have not released details about possible suspects, motives, or whether Johnson was targeted or struck in random violence. Detectives are working to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Johnson’s death is especially significant given his connection to one of the most pivotal events in recent American history. In August 2014, he was walking with Michael Brown when then-Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed Black man, in Ferguson. Johnson later gave statements to investigators and the media, describing what he witnessed during the confrontation. Brown’s death ignited weeks of protests, civil unrest, and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, drawing international attention to issues of police use of force and systemic racism in the United States.
In the years since, Johnson remained a public figure, often remembered in discussions surrounding the Ferguson protests and the long-term impacts of Brown’s killing. Community members say his death reopens painful memories from nearly a decade ago.
Local leaders and activists have already begun expressing condolences online, many calling Johnson’s death another tragic loss for the Ferguson community. “This is devastating,” one activist posted. “Dorian carried the weight of history with him after that day in 2014. Now, to lose him in this way is heartbreaking.”
The St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons is assisting in the investigation. Authorities have not said whether they have identified a suspect or recovered a weapon.
Police are asking residents in the Abaco Drive area to check security cameras and share any potential evidence that could help move the investigation forward.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Ferguson police or CrimeStoppers.
Johnson’s death marks another chapter in the city’s ongoing struggle with gun violence and serves as a painful reminder of the events that first placed Ferguson in the national spotlight more than a decade ago.
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