Joseph Johns, firefighter killed in Minneapolis shootout, remembered for his kindness
MINNEAPOLIS — Witnesses described chaos when a party erupted in gunfire early Sunday morning. One man died: Joseph Johns, a Twin Cities firefighter, who friends say had the biggest heart.
Johns was at the Minneapolis Cedar Riverside bar for a private party among several motorcycle groups.
Tracey Dogan says it was a peaceful, fun night with several hundred members of local motorcycle clubs partying in the Whiskey Junction parking lot when shots rang out.
Chill Beard, the leader of the Tru Breed Motorcycle Club, was inside the bar and ran out.
"It was 60 rounds in the parking lot and 80 rounds total," Beard said.
Both men say it was impossible to see who was firing at who. Beard ran over to Johns, who was a fellow member of the motorcycle club. He was face down.
"By the time the ambulance, they put him on the stretcher but I knew when they turn him over, he was lifeless," Beard said.
One other man was hit by the gunfire and taken to the hospital.
Friends are devastated over Johns' loss
"He would drop anything at any moment," Andrea Jauli said. "And I think the legacy that he is leaving is one people should strive for he was a really good human — hard to come by these days."
WCCO spoke by phone with the grieving chiefs of both the Eagan and Eden Prairie fire departments
"You have seen pictures of Joseph, he is a big smiling, happy person and that's exactly who he was," said Eagan Fire Chief Hugo Searle.
"Words like kind, caring, compassionate, positive, charismatic and putting service above self are all words that indicate Joseph Johns," said Eden Prairie Fire Chief Scot Gerber.
Counselors have been available to firefighters from both Eagan and Eden Prairie.