An off-duty police officer was fatally shot by a bullet likely not intended for him inside his West Memphis home Saturday afternoon, police said.
Oliver Johnson, Jr., a 25-year-old officer with the Forrest City Police Department, was at his home at the Meadows Apartment complex around 2 p.m., department spokesman Lt. Eric Varner said. The address for the complex listed online is 1101 S. Avalon St.
People were firing shots outside Johnson's apartment, Capt. Joe Baker with the West Memphis Police Department said. Multiple rounds struck the building's facade, and one bullet hit Johnson in the upper torso while he was inside, Baker said.
Johnson was taken to Regional Medical Center in Memphis where he was pronounced dead, Baker said. His death marks the fifth homicide of the year in the city, Baker said.
It does not appear Johnson was the intended target of the shooting, police said. As of Saturday evening, no suspects were in custody, and the investigation was ongoing.
Johnson had been with the Forrest City police force for more than two years, Varner said.
The fallen officer had a fiancee and two children, he said.
It was not clear Saturday evening whether any children were home at the time of the fatal shooting.
When asked whether Johnson had received commendations or awards for his police work, Varner said, "He was a great officer. I'm pretty sure he had several."
Friends and family began mourning Johnson's loss, posting remembrances on his Facebook page.
Lakisha Yvette, who said she was a good friend of Johnson's, said that when they caught up, "he was always happy to talk to me and was always a positive person."
Forrest City in St. Francis County is about 40 miles from West Memphis.
Metro on 04/29/2018