Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Rodney Johnson was shot and killed after taking an illegal alien into custody during a traffic stop.
Officer Johnson had stopped a large white pickup truck occupied by a man and woman on Randolph at Braniff, just south of Hobby Airport, at about 5:30 pm. He placed the male driver under arrest after he was unable to produce a driver's license. After handcuffing the male, he placed him in the backseat of the patrol car and then returned to the driver's seat. The subject, while handcuffed and sitting in the backseat of the patrol car was able to move his hands to his front, retrieve a concealed handgun, and shoot Officer Johnson in the back of the head four times. Despite being fatally wounded, Officer Johnson was able to push an emergency button, alerting dispatch to the incident.
When other officers arrived, the male was still handcuffed and sitting in the patrol car, and the weapon was recovered. The woman who was in the vehicle during the traffic stop had fled but was also located and taken into custody.
Officer Johnson was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect was an illegal alien who had been deported in 1999 but illegally re-entered the United States. On May 8, 2008, the suspect was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. In addition, a federal grand jury indicted the owner of a landscaping firm who hired the suspect, accusing him of harboring an illegal alien.
Officer Johnson was a 12-year member of the Houston Police Department and had previously served as a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and as a military policeman in the US Army.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, also a Houston officer, their three daughters, two sons, and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-30E8BDC7- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Johnson gave the Houston Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Rodney Joseph Johnson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Rodney Joseph Johnson is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Houston Police Department, 84 of 117 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Rodney Joseph Johnson's cause is highlighted.
How Rodney Joseph Johnson Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Rodney Joseph Johnson is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Rodney Joseph Johnson was killed by handgun; 9 mm.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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