Carl Johnson
Agency patch
Special Deputy Sheriff

Carl Johnson

Felonious
End of Watch June 17, 1939
Age 37
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 75 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Deputy Sheriff Carl Johnson and Special Deputy Sheriff Fred Scott were shot and killed at a cabin near Moose Lake while attempting to arrest a man who had fled from another officer earlier in the day.

A county traffic officer had stopped the subject and his wife earlier in the day and placed him under arrest for driving a stolen vehicle. The officer had the wife ride with him and told the man to drive ahead of him to the sheriff's office. The man started to drive and then suddenly accelerated, leading the traffic officer on a pursuit. The man drove to a wooded area where he abandoned the car and fled on foot.

The county sheriff deputized several citizens after tracking the man to a cabin near Phil Hall's Resort at Moose Lake. As the deputies approached the cabin the man opened fire from inside with a 12 gauge shotgun. Deputy Johnson was shot in the head and killed instantly while Deputy Scott was shot in the back and died a short time later.

The man fled again and remained at large for two weeks. He was shot and killed after being found hiding in a shed near Lake Namakogan.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9

Chris Di Gerolamo Federal Air Marshal Service September 20th, 2022

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WI-FA83004F
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Deputy Sheriff Johnson served with the Sawyer County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Hayward community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Sheriff Johnson.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Hayward, Sawyer County, WI
Platform Identity scso.sawyer.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1939
Tour of Duty
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge

Special Deputy Sheriff Carl Johnson is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 50.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Sawyer County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Sawyer County Sheriff's Office
3
of 4 officers
75% Felonious
WI — Statewide
159
of 317 officers
50.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Carl Johnson's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Carl Johnson Compares

Age at Death
37
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Carl Johnson is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Carl Johnson was killed by shotgun; 12 gauge.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location