February 21, 2026
Da’Quain Johnson, 32, was shot in a parking lot and died the next morning.
By Robert Hill
On Feb. 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 Johnson was believed to have been shot in the chest, but after viewing her son’s body, Angelica Johnson said he was shot in the back of the head and disputed the department’s account of what happened.
Angelica Johnson spoke at a press conference on Feb. 20 to discuss the details surrounding the death of Da’Quain.
Before the shooting occurred, Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) officers had received alerts about a man riding a bicycle who was potentially armed. Officers say when they attempted to make contact, Johnson fled on his bike.
As reported by Fox 17, “Officers followed and found Johnson in a parking lot behind a nearby apartment complex. A police canine was deployed, and Trigg said the dog likely bit Johnson, but he continued resisting and fighting with officers.” One officer fired their weapon after Johnson produced a handgun, according to a release by the department.”
Police Chief Eric Winstrom stated that Johnson had been shot in the chest. However, three bodycam and dashcam clips appeared to show something different.
After viewing the footage, Johnson’s mother said her son was shot in the head while lying face down on the ground with a police canine 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, she said, “Y’all couldn’t see it, but you will soon enough. But my son was shot in the back of the head. He was mauled in the neck by a dog. And the way he was shot … you could tell that his hands were being held behind his back.”
Johnson was a convicted felon and did have a firearm, according to police; however, members of his community described him differently.
Community members gathered to view the footage released by activists, which they say shows what transpired during Johnson’s encounter with police. The Michigan State Police is conducting the investigation.
During the press conference, his mother urged the community to protest peacefully, stating that if justice is to be achieved for her son, it must be done peacefully.
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