Dennis Johnson was a longtime Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office public safety officer.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Relatives and friends gathered Saturday to remember Dennis Johnson, a 56-year-old Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office employee killed one day earlier in a north side shooting.
The vigil near Teutonia Avenue and Chambers Street came as Milwaukee police continued searching for the person who fired several shots into Johnson’s vehicle shortly after 5 p.m. Friday. Johnson’s family said he had just left work at the Milwaukee County Courthouse and was still wearing his uniform.
Those who gathered Saturday described Johnson as a steady presence in his family and at work. They prayed for strength, love, forgiveness and mercy while standing near the place where he was killed. Lisa Beatty, Johnson’s sister, said the family would need support far beyond the first days after the shooting. “I’m just happy that people are here for my brother and our family as well,” Beatty said.
Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball confirmed Johnson was a longtime public safety officer with the agency. Ball said Johnson’s death was felt deeply inside the sheriff’s office because he was part of its workplace family. She called the killing senseless and offered condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. The sheriff’s office said it was cooperating with the Milwaukee Police Department investigation.
Police have released few details about the moments before the shooting. Investigators said a suspect fired several shots into a vehicle, killing Johnson. Officials have not announced a motive, named a suspect or said whether Johnson’s work for the county played any role in the attack. Witnesses reported hearing repeated gunfire in an area with nearby churches, businesses and traffic.
Johnson’s death added to a violent Friday evening in Milwaukee, where police were investigating multiple homicide scenes within hours. Authorities have treated the cases as separate investigations unless evidence shows otherwise. For Johnson’s family, the public safety role he held made the loss especially painful because he had spent years helping secure a courthouse used by residents, workers and visitors.
As of Sunday, no suspect had been publicly identified in Johnson’s killing. Milwaukee police remained the lead agency on the homicide investigation, while the sheriff’s office and Johnson’s family prepared to mark the life of a longtime courthouse public safety officer.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, May 10, 2026.