Community Protests Decision Not to Charge Officer After K9 Bite and Shooting Death

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Thursday, April 2, that no charges will be filed against Grand Rapids Police Department officer Christopher Carlson for fatally shooting Da'Quain Johnson on February 18.

Becker held a news conference after receiving the Michigan State Police investigation report.

"I cannot show that the decision of Officer Christopher Carlson for the Grand Rapids Police Department to use deadly force that night was not honest and reasonable," said Becker.

Carlson was involved in a second fatal officer-involved shooting in November 2024 near Trinity Health Hospital. Becker decided not to pursue charges in that incident as well, saying officers were justified in their decision to fire their weapons.

The shooting sparked immediate community outrage and protests in the days following the announcement.

What Happened on Eastern Avenue

Johnson had been riding his bike on Eastern Avenue SE when police received reports of a man on a bike with a gun. Officers chased Johnson on his bike for about 90 seconds, then continued the pursuit on foot in the parking lot of the Eastern Lofts Apartment complex.

In body camera footage released by GRPD, Johnson gets off his bike and appears to fall. The officers deploy a K9 which begins biting Johnson.

GRPD stated Johnson reached for a gun. That's when the officer fired multiple shots. Johnson was taken to a hospital, where he died during surgery.

A death certificate obtained by 13 ON YOUR SIDE lists a gunshot wound to the back as the cause of death. The officer who fired was placed on administrative leave. MSP took over the investigation.

Investigators claim video evidence shows Johnson was prone while the police K9 was latched onto his upper arm. They were concerned about a firearm they said was near his right side.

Investigators noted that Johnson's right arm was initially difficult to see, but his movements drew attention. They wrote that his right elbow appeared to "flare outward," which they said is consistent with someone pulling an object from their waistband area.

MSP later recovered a tan two-tone Taurus 9mm handgun with 8 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.

Community Response and Civil Rights Pushback

The shooting has spurred community pushback, with protestors taking to the streets the day after the shooting and hundreds attending a rally on March 1.

Angelica Johnson, Johnson's mother, appeared at rallies and a City Commission meeting.

"I will get justice," she said. "I will get justice. I won't sit back."

Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Ven Johnson, who are representing Johnson's family, called his death an "assassination" and refuted GRPD's narrative of what happened.

Becker said he can't imagine what the family is going through after Johnson's death.

"It's difficult to lose a loved one under any circumstances, but then you have these circumstances where it's out on video for pretty much the whole public to see," Becker said after calling the videos "gut-wrenching."

The Prosecutor's Office has had the investigation and findings from the Michigan State Police since Tuesday, March 3.

Civil Review and Administrative Response

Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington said he has been reviewing the data on officer-involved shootings over the past five years. He wants to look at the department's pursuit and K-9 policies, as well as the civilian appeals board.

"I understand this news evokes strong emotions, especially for those that have been directly impacted by this incident. There are some in the community who are grieving Mr. Johnson's death and the investigative outcome. However, my work – and the City's internal work – is not finished," Washington said.

He said he has directed GRPD and the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability to move forward with their own administrative reviews to ensure all department policies were upheld.

Interim Chief of Police Joe Trigg said while MSP's investigation has concluded, he knows the family and community are still in mourning.

"While this decision concludes the independent criminal investigation by the Michigan State Police, we remain mindful that a family is mourning and our community is still processing a very difficult event," he said.

Ongoing Protests and Second Autopsy Request

Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack told 13 ON YOUR SIDE he is getting a second autopsy done for Da'Quain Johnson in an effort to get the decision not to charge the officers reviewed again by the attorney general.

In the wake of Becker's decision, a community caravan was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan to protest police use of force incidents on April 5. The caravan made stops at the sites where Johnson and 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya were killed by police officers.

Johnson's mother expressed intense emotion at the scene, calling out local leaders for what she described as a lack of presence.

"What we wanted to do was acknowledge Lyoya because his parents and his family isn't here right now so we still wanted to remind the city to say Patrick Lyoya's name," Angelica Johnson said.

"The NAACP is supposed to be here. They the ones supposed to lead this...not me. We're not talking about Rob. A lot of these leaders show up when our kids are killed and they get on the news and they rub our backs and they say 'we're in this fight with you' and they're nowhere to be found," Johnson said.

Robert Womack, Kent County Commissioner, said other mothers who have lost their sons to police violence are saying the same thing. They want to see stronger reaction from leadership.

The Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression condemned Becker's decision, calling it inaction by the justice system.

"We call upon the Attorney General Nessel to rectify this and bring charges against these officers. Once again, we see a justice system that protects the powerful and not the broader community," the statement read.

"We renew our call for community control of the police department. Until those who use deadly force are held accountable by the community they are supposed to keep safe, peace is not possible."

Carlson's History

GRPD Officer Christopher Carlson joined the department in 2019. He was also involved in another fatal officer-involved shooting in November 2024 when a man was shot and killed near Trinity Health Hospital.

The man was carrying a lighter that resembled a handgun and refused to follow orders by GRPD, according to a report. GRPD determined that the incident was likely "suicide by cop." Becker also decided not to pursue charges in that incident, saying that the officers were justified in their decision to fire their weapons.

Carlson was named as one of the officers who fired a shot at the suspect in the November 2024 incident.