Joe Johnson Death – Joseph Johnson, a reserve police officer in Nyssa, Oregon, and a beloved father and husband passed away tragically on Saturday, April 15th, 2023. He was announced dead through a social media publication that read “Please pray for Joe Johnson and his family. A very dear friend of mine lost his life last night near Nyssa Oregon in the line of duty to a gunshot. He is a hero and a great man. Had a loving heart and was a great dad to 2 kids. We love you, Joe. Thank you so much. You were one of the great ones.”
Joe Johnson’s cause of death
On Saturday night, a reserve police officer with the Nyssa Police Department was shot and died. According to a statement made by Malheur County District Attorney Dave Goldthorpe, the shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, after the officer, identified as Joseph Johnson, 43, pursued a car that stopped near North Third Street and Locust Avenue. Authorities claim that the murderer ran away and is still at large.
Rene Castro, 36, of Nyssa, has been named as the suspect. Call Malheur County Dispatch at 541-473-5125 if you have any information about his likely whereabouts. The inquiry is being conducted by the Oregon State Police. Johnson was responding to “a call of concern regarding a violent individual damaging property and threatening others near a residence in Nyssa,” according to Goldthorpe. Officer Johnson discovered the subject (Rene Castro) had fled in a car as he was reacting and had started a chase around the city.

As soon as the chased car came to a stop, a man with a gun—possibly Castro—started firing at Officer Johnson. Officer Johnson was fatally struck before there had a chance to retaliate, according to Goldthorpe. Officer Johnson was already dead when EMTs and the Malheur County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the site, according to the statement.
Who was Joe Johnson?
Joseph Johnson was a loved father and husband and a backup police officer in Nyssa, Oregon. State records show that Johnson has worked for Nyssa as a backup officer since 2018. He works as a mental health specialist at the Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario. He taught many people how to do things, and he was a great husband, father, and friend. He loved his family and LE very much. Joe was the kind of person who had a lot of best friends because he helped everyone so much. He was everything a therapist should be.
Joe Johnson’s obituary and funeral arrangements will be released by the family at a later date.
News from SNBC13.com