In Memory Of Hedgehawg
A Tribute To Lt. Scott Johnson 416
NO FEAR

Callahan-A Hilliard Youth died early Sunday morning when another man reportedly shot him in the parking lot of McDonalds fast food restaurant. **** ************, 23, of Callahan, has been charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of Scott Warren Johnson, 19, of Hilliard, according to police. Nassau County Sheriff's Deputy ******* ***** reported he was at the Mobil Gas Station at the corner of West Brandies and US 1 in Callahan when a man approached him and told him he heard a gunshot while he was waiting for a friend to get home. The man said that he left his friends residence on West Brandies Ave., to find out what was going on and as he approached McDonalds, he said he saw a man in the parking lot lying, who had been shot. He then returned to the Mobil Station, where he notified the Deputy of the shooting.
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office recieved the call of the incident at 1:40 a.m. from the deputy at the crime scene. Investigators and an evidence technician were dispatched to the McDonald's parking lot to secure the area. A witness to the shooting said he stopped at McDonald's in Callahan at 1:30 a.m. to say hello to ************ and another friend. They were all there for about three minutes when Johnson drove up. Johnson got out of the truck and was greeted by ************ and the other friend. The friend was reportedly holding a .44 magnum gun belonging to ************. ************ took it and allegedly pointed it at Johnson and then the gun went off, according to the police report. ************, still armed with the weapon, left the scene of the shooting. ************ who was apprehended at his home was transported to the Nassau County Jail.

Hilliard- Nassau County will miss Scott Johnson, the young man whose life was taken Sunday morning when he was shot. Son, brother, good friend, recent graduate, volunteer fireman, first responder, Explorer Chief, and good sport are just a few of the things this young man loved being. He will definately be missed. The one memory shared by everyone who talked about Scott was his infectious smile. (except for photographs, that is). Scott was human and so he had his faults. But he met head-on all the problems young men his age encounter while maturing. At 19 years of age Scott could well have taught many adults in Nassau County a thing or two about the meaning of community service and spirit. He began doing that before he ever graduated from high school. Many of the same county residents that attended Scott's funeral also attended his graduation on June 4. And they were probably responsible for all the cheering as Scott stepped forward to accept his diploma, with that triumphant look on his face that had to be saying, "Ah, I finally did it." Did you notice how he took the diploma from John Ruis' hand and ran off the stage? Scott was looking forward to following in his dad's footsteps by becoming a law enforcement officer. But had his plan to do that not worked out, it wouldn't have made any difference. Whatever he would have ended up doing, it would have been a sure bet he wouldn't have done it if he couldn't have been helping people, because if there was one thing Scott really loved, it was people. Scott was a people person. Scott had already shown those around him what a caring individual he was and there was no limit to what he would do for a friend or a stranger. He didn't always know the people he helped, whether it was putting out the flames destroying someones house or letting his skilled hands assist in saving someone's life. But he wasn't a stranger to them for long.
" He never met a stranger," said Hilliard Volunteer Fire Department Chief, Jarrett Hodges.
He was equally as proud of being a 2nd Lieutentant in the HVFD as he was being a first responder. Scott Johnson touched the lives of people of all ages. He was a role model for the youngsters in this county. Scott, who had become a firefighter after being of Hilliard Explorer Post #937, was also an Explorer Chief.
"He was my Explorer Chief," said Matt Waggoner.
Assistant Fire Chief Jessie White said that Scott had been a really good role model to his son Billy, also a member of the Explorers.
"We've lost a good friend; he was always willing to help everybody, had kindness in his heart and was always smiling. You never heard him say anything bad about anybody," White said.
" He'd do without so that somebody else would have something. He's really going to be missed," said fellow firefighter Glenn Palmer.
" The first thing that I think about when I think about Scott is his sense of humor," said Jeff Mullins, a patrol officer on the team with Connie Johnson, a lieutentant with the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
Leon Woolard, another NCSO patrol officer probably put it bestwhen he said, " Only the good die young."
Esther, Scott's mother dedicated a poem to go under a picture of Scott in his yearbook. Entitled Son, These Are My Wishes for Your Future, it was written by Judy LeSage.
Scott was the son of Esther Johnson of Hilliard and Connie Johnson of Callahan.

©1999 The Shadow Zone