Neil R. Johnson
Agency patch
Chief of Police

Neil R. Johnson

Blooming Prairie Police Department — Blooming Prairie, MN
Felonious
End of Watch December 22, 1951
Age 48
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 88 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief Neil Johnson was shot and killed after responding to a domestic dispute in which a man with a gun was demanding to see his family. When Chief Johnson arrived, the man shot him six times. As he laid on the ground the man shot him once more in the head, killing him. The suspect, 26, was later apprehended and charged with first degree murder. On May 3, 1952, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was released in 1967.

Survivors

Chief Johnson had been employed with the Blooming Prairie Police Department for three years and is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MN-159F3C47
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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.
Chief of Police Johnson gave the Blooming Prairie Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Blooming Prairie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Johnson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Blooming Prairie, Steele County, MN
Platform Identity bppd.steele.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 22, 1951
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Chief of Police Neil R. 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 MN, 173 of 293 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59% of this state's fallen. That is 59 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Blooming Prairie Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
MN — Statewide
173
of 293 officers
59% 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. Neil R. Johnson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Neil R. Johnson Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Neil R. Johnson is highlighted in Dec.

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. Neil R. Johnson was killed by handgun.

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Blooming Prairie Police Department are honored on badge.nw.