Man dies after run-in with Longview police

LONGVIEW — The Seattle man who was shot dead by Longview police officers two weeks ago died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to an autopsy conducted by the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office.

According to a press release by the Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team, an autopsy of Louis Earl Johnson Jr., 30, of Seattle, was conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Martha Burt.

Cowlitz County Coroner Dana Tucker noted that Johnson died due to a penetrating gunshot wound to the chest, and his death was classified as a homicide.

The investigation into the police shooting is ongoing.

As reported in the first press release from the Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team on Sept. 3, the incident happened on Sept. 2, around 2 p.m., when an employee of Minami Teriyaki, located at 1208 15th Ave., reported a driver who had passed out in a car while still in the restaurant’s drive-thru.

Medical units who responded to Minami Teriyaki revived Johnson with the use of Narcan, and he then reportedly became aggressive and made threats to medical personnel before fleeing in an orange Dodge Challenger.

After a failed maneuver, police stopped Johnson on 19th Avenue and Florida Street, where he allegedly fired a gun multiple times at an officer, even striking a police vehicle.

Officers then returned fire, killing him.

Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team investigators determined that Johnson was in unlawful possession of a 9mm semiautomatic “ghost gun” pistol that didn’t have a serial number, per the Sept. 3, press release.

No officer suffered an injury during the encounter.