Death of Dion Johnson topic of NFL social media post
Dion Johnson
PHOENIX - A post made by the NFL on their social media account on Oct. 24 touched on the police shooting in May that killed Dion Johnson.
Johnson was shot dead on May 25, following a struggle with a DPS trooper along Loop 101. Johnson's death, along with the death of George Floyd, sparked protests in Downtown Phoenix.
The trooper was identified as George Cervantes. In July 2020, FOX 10 reported that Cervantes told investigators he feared for his life when he decided to shoot Johnson. In September, Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said charges will not be filed against Cervantes.
Post made on Instagram
The post that mentioned Johnson was made by NFL officials on their verified Instagram account. The post featured a photo of Johnson, along with a statement from Johnson's mother, Erma, and a photo featuring an NFL helmet with Johnson's name printed on it.
"My son, Dion Johnson, was such an inspiration to so many people and was loved by so many," read a portion of the statement from Erma. "They took my king all [too] soon. He was and should still be here by my king will live on."
The post had the caption "Say His Name."
Some who replied to the post on NFL's Instagram page mentioned the circumstances surrounding the shooting that killed Johnson.