Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Johnnie Shoates succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained 10 years earlier when he was shot during a robbery. He was off duty, waiting in line at a fast food restaurant, when a man entered the Church's Chicken at 12701 Joy Road around 12:50 a.m. and announced a robbery. Lieutenant Shoates identified himself and ordered the man to drop his gun. The man turned and opened fire, striking Lieutenant Shoates in the head. Lieutenant Shoates remained in a coma from the time of the shooting until his death 10 years later. The subject was arrested and charged with assault with the intent to commit murder. He was sentenced to 20-30 years and paroled in 1985. Lieutenant Shoates had been injured in 1974 during a narcotics raid. Lieutenant Shoates had served with the Detroit Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife and three children. (His wife gave birth to a daughter 11 days after he was shot).
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-98F9884F- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Lieutenant Shoates gave the Detroit Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Shoates.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant Johnnie C. Shoates 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 97,756 officers honored here.
In MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 59.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Johnnie C. Shoates's cause is highlighted.
How Johnnie C. Shoates Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Johnnie C. Shoates is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Johnnie C. Shoates was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
249 officers from Detroit Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
