Fort Worth officer who accidentally shot man will receive back pay, be allowed to resign

A Fort Worth police officer who went on trial for accidentally shooting a mentally challenged man and afterward was fired by Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald has been allowed to resign from the Police Department.

Courtney Johnson's firing was reduced to a 65-day suspension and he was given an honorable discharge, which will allow him to retain his peace officer's license and potentially get a job as an officer elsewhere, according to an agreement between the parties. Johnson had appealed his termination, but that appeal was withdrawn pursuant to the agreement.

Johnson will also receive back pay as part of his agreement with the city, although no amount has been given.

Johnson, 35, was accused of shooting Craigory Adams by recklessly handling his shotgun on June 23, 2015.

Johnson was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant, but the jury deadlocked, causing a mistrial, and the Tarrant County district attorney's office declined to retry the case.

“After review of the trial case, and the evidence produced at that trial, it is my belief that any subsequent retrial is unlikely to result in the return of a unanimous jury verdict,” stated a motion filed June 1 by District Attorney Sharen Wilson.

Fitzgerald fired Johnson after the trial, saying the officer's actions were reckless.

"We found that these actions were careless and that led to an individual being injured and that's something we can't let happen," Fitzgerald said. "He certainly shouldn't have racked his shotgun and pulled the trigger. I believe that officer Johnson pulled the trigger. Our officers don't train to rack shotguns and point it at folks."

A two-count indictment accused Johnson of taking his gun off safety and sliding the pump action back, then forward as it was pointed at Adams.

The shotgun fired, hitting Adams in the arm. The officer has said he thought Adams was holding a knife, but it was actually a barbecue fork. Adams was in at least partial compliance with the officer's commands, Fitzgerald said.

In Johnson's trial, the jury split 5-7, but it was not known which way.

Family members of Craigory Adams have said he was taking a walk, carrying a barbecue fork he used to fend off any stray dogs.

Adams had complied and had just dropped to one knee when Johnson's shotgun discharged, shooting Adams in the arm.

Mitch Mitchell: 817-390-7752, @mitchmitchel3

Deanna Boyd: 817-390-7655, @deannaboyd

This story was originally published March 14, 2018 at 7:12 PM with the headline "Fort Worth officer who accidentally shot man will receive back pay, be allowed to resign."