Through Anna Brown
February 21, 2026
Da’Quain Johnson, 32, was shot in a parking lot and died the next morning.
By Robert Heuvel
On February 18, 32-year-old Da’Quain Johnson was shot in the parking lot of Eastern Lofts on Eastern Avenue SE in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He died the next morning. Police initially said it was believed Johnson had been shot in the chest, but after viewing her son’s body, Angelica Johnson said he had been shot in the back of the head and disputed the department’s account of what happened.
Angelica Johnson spoke at a press conference on February 20 to discuss the details surrounding Da’Quain’s death.
Before the shooting occurred, Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) officers had received alerts about a man riding a bicycle and possibly armed. Officers say Johnson fled on his bicycle when they attempted to make contact.
As reported by Fox 17“Officers followed and found Johnson in a parking lot behind a nearby apartment complex. A police dog was deployed and Trigg said the dog likely bit Johnson, but he continued to resist and fight with officers.” One officer fired their weapon after Johnson produced a gun, according to a statement from the department.
Police Chief Erik Winstrom stated that Johnson had been shot in the chest. However, three bodycam and dashcam clips appeared to show otherwise.
After viewing the footage, Johnson’s mother said her son was shot in the head as he lay face down on the ground with a police dog on top of him. During the press conference, she stated that his hands appeared to be behind his back at the time of the shooting.
As reported by MLive“You all couldn’t see it, but you will soon enough. But my son was shot in the back of the head. He was hit in the neck by a dog. And from the way he was shot… you could tell his hands were held behind his back.”
Johnson was a convicted felon and, according to police, did have a firearm; however, members of his community describe him differently.
Community members gathered to view the footage released by activists, which they say shows what happened during Johnson’s encounter with police. Michigan State Police are conducting the investigation.
During the press conference, his mother urged the community to protest peacefully, stating that if justice for her son is to be achieved, it must be done peacefully.
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