Waldis Vanness Johnson
Agency patch
Police Officer

Waldis Vanness Johnson

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch May 31, 2020
Age 48
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 171 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Jay Johnson succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on April 30th, 2017, while responding to a domestic violence call at 10075 Joy Road.

He and fellow officer Darren Maurice Weathers approached a common front door to the apartment complex, which was locked. After several minutes of knocking on the door, a man unrelated to the call for service came downstairs, opened the door, and pointed a semi-automatic handgun at Officer Johnson.

Officer Johnson immediately grabbed the firearm and began to struggle with the subject. Officer Johnson let go of the firearm to draw his service weapon. They both fired simultaneously. Officer Johnson was struck once in the head, and the subject was struck twice by Officer Johnson. Officer Weathers also returned fire before pulling Officer Johnson from the entryway. The subject died at the scene.

Officer Johnson suffered a traumatic brain injury and remained in a rehabilitation facility until his death.

Officer Johnson had served with the Detroit Police Department for 17 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Police Officer Johnson gave the Detroit Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Johnson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 31, 2020
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Waldis is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2020, 61 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 123rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Waldis was 48. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Waldis had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Waldis among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Waldis Vanness Johnson

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch May 31, 2020

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-E

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