Derek Johnson did two things shortly after graduating high school: He married his high school sweetheart, who lived around the block, and he saw through his life-long dream of becoming a police officer.
Both dreams ended about 6 a.m. Sunday, when dispatchers received an unintelligible distress call from the 32-year-old Draper police sergeant. More calls, this time from citizens, quickly followed about shots fired. Emergency responders rushed to the 13800 block of Fort Street, a residential neighborhood, where witnesses say they found Johnson wounded in his police vehicle; they pulled him out and tried to save him.
"This is a very tragic day for the Draper city police department," the somber Draper Police Chief Bryan Roberts said at a news conference hours later, flanked by the city manager and council members on the steps of city hall. He announced that Johnson, flown to Intermountain Medical Center, had died.
Officers had also found a man and a woman wounded by gunshots and they were taken to local hospitals in critical condition. Investigators now believe that one or both of them were responsible for Johnson's death.
Roberts said police "do not believe we have any outstanding suspects at this time."
Kris Szelag, who lives in the 12900 block of Fort Street, said a gunshot awoke her before she heard what sounded like a car crash.
She looked outside and saw officers pull another officer out of a police car and perform CPR on him until a Life Flight helicopter landed and carried the injured officer away. She said her adrenaline was high.
"I wanted to see if there was any way I could help," said Szelag, who is an RN.
The shooting triggered a cordoning off of 150 square blocks of Draper neighborhoods, from 300 East to 1300 East and from Pioneer Road to 13800 South. Church services were cancelled and everyone within the containment was asked to stay in their homes -- through a reverse 911 call and a phone tree -- as armed officers patrolled the streets with police dogs.
"We want to reassure the residents that we are doing everything we can to keep the residents of Draper safe," Roberts said.
"It brought back shades of the Boston [manhunt]," said Draper Councilman William Rappleye, who lives in the search area. "It's a sad day any time one of our officers is injured in the line of duty, or worse. It's a heartbreaker."
The perimeter was eventually narrowed to Fort Street between Walden Lane and 13300 South. The chief said police are asking everyone there to stay in their homes and contact an officer on-scene if they need to leave. An officer will then escort them out of the area.
The Unified Police Department is investigating the shooting. The investigation is ongoing and police will continue to update residents as information become available, Roberts said.
Johnson is the 136th law enforcement officer to be killed in Utah in the line of duty.
Phil Goold has known Johnson most of the police sergeant's life through their local LDS Church ward.
"He married his high school sweetheart who lived around the corner from him," said Phil Goold, adding that Johnson married his wife, Shante, shortly after high school graduation.
About the same time, Johnson entered the police academy.
"Derek always wanted to be a police officer," said Steve Glad, who used to be a bishop in Johnson's ward. "It was his dream from when he was a little boy."
Johnson was hired in April 2004 as a reserve officer and made a full-time officer eight months later. He was then promoted to sergeant in December 2012, working in patrol, community policing and investigations. He also received a community policing award that year.
"I've known Derek for many years," said Draper Mayor Darrell H. Smith. "He is one of the best and most qualified sergeants on our forcecccNever have I spoken with Derek without recognizing his positive attitude and love for his work and serving the community of Draper."
Johnson did a good job protecting his hometown, Goold added.
"Derek was just a good kid, a local kid," Goold said. "I remember going on outings with him. We had an annual pilgrimage out to Moab as men, a boys' weekend thing...[The Johnsons] really were this great Draper family."
The 1033 Foundation, which provides immediate financial assistance to the families of fallen officers, plans to present a $25,000 check to the Johnsons, said Ryan Walsh, a member of the board of advisers. The radio code 10-33 means an officer is in urgent need of help.
"Every time a police officer dies in the line of duty, we'll be there that day," Walsh said.
This is third time the Park City-based foundation has given such assistance. The first time was after the January 2012 death of Jared Francom, an Ogden police officer killed while serving a search warrant. The second time was in June 2012, after Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Aaron Beesley died after falling from a cliff during a search and rescue mission near Mount Olympus.
"We've gone 13 months without a line-of-duty death," Walsh said. "We would have liked to go longer."
Sunday afternoon, Nevah Stevenson left a bouquet of yellow roses on the steps of Draper City Hall. Stevenson, school advancement director at St. John's the Baptist Elementary and Middle School and a Draper resident, saw a Facebook post about tying yellow ribbons around the city in Johnson's honor -- hence her color choice for the flowers.
"I have a heavy heart," she said. "I am praying for his family."
A note with the flowers reads: "Holding you in our hearts, Johnson family. May God bless officer Derek Johnson."
A candlelight vigil is being held at 8 p.m. at Draper City Hall to honor and remember Johnson.
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