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Sergeant

Craig Vincent Johnson

Tulsa Police Department — Tulsa, OK

Felonious

End of Watch June 30, 2020

Age 45

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 172 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 41

Incident

Sergeant Craig Johnson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the previous morning when he was shot multiple times during a traffic stop near the intersection of East 21st Street and South 89th East Avenue.

An officer on Sergeant Johnson's squad had conducted the traffic stop at 3:30 am and determined the vehicle had to be impounded. The driver refused to exit the car despite using de-escalation techniques and non-lethal force, including pepper spray and a taser. As Sergeant Johnson and the other officer continued their attempts to remove the driver, the man reached under the driver's seat and retrieved a handgun. He opened fire on both officers, striking each multiple times in the head and torso.

The man fled the scene with the help of a friend he had called for assistance during the traffic stop.

The subject was arrested later in the day and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. On April 22, 2021, he was convicted of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, and obstructing an officer. On April 9, 2022, he was sentenced to death. The friend who aided his escape was found guilty of two counts of accessory to a felony and sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was released on parole after serving only 4 and a half years.

The other officer who was shot was in critical condition for a few months. He returned to work in November 2020.

Sergeant Johnson had served with the Tulsa Police Department for 15 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Sergeant Johnson gave the Tulsa Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tulsa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Johnson.

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

Agency

Department Tulsa Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Tulsa, Osage County, OK

Platform Identity tpd.tulsa.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 30, 2020

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Craig 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.

Compare against

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

Who

Craig was 45. 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. Craig had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month

By day of the week

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