Emotions ran high during the Reno Police Department’s first town hall of the year, on Thursday, Feb. 12, at North Valleys High School. The main concerns community members expressed involved the officer-involved shooting death of Michael J. Johnson on Feb. 3.
In the audience was Deanna Hover, who identified herself as one of the first callers who prompted RPD to conduct a welfare check on Johnson. Hover had seen Johnson at the top of the Wells Avenue Bridge and was concerned for his safety.
“It’s incredibly difficult to see him, and then come back an hour later to see his body on the ground,” Hover said through tears.
In the body cam footage released by RPD, officers told Johnson they had received three calls about him sitting on the ledge of the bridge.
It took coaxing from two officers for Johnson to start moving toward Kuenzli Street. By the end of the video, there were at least five officers on scene. Johnson appeared more agitated as more officers approached him.
The footage shows an officer at the scene telling other officers that he encountered Johnson in a prior incident, during which Johnson was in possession of a pocketknife.
Another officer asked Johnson to drop his knife. Johnson first refused, then told officers that he didn’t have one. At this point in the released footage, Johnson has his hands in his pockets. No pocketknife is visible.
Johnson refused to take his hands out of his pockets. The officer who asked Johnson to drop his knife took out his pistol and continued to approach Johnson. The footage shows Johnson lunging at the officer with a “tow-style chain.” The officer then shot Johnson multiple times. Johnson fell to the ground; officers started applying first aid.
When paramedics arrived, they declared Johnson dead.
Mutual aid groups and community members demand change
One week after Johnson was killed, mutual aid groups Family Soup Mutual Aid, Reno Hearts You and My.Commun.it3, along with activists Lily Baran and Nath’Angela Davis, shared a call to action and a list of demands on Instagram. They called for people to comment at the Reno City Council Meeting on Feb. 11 and at the Feb. 12 RPD Town Hall. They also demanded the immediate release of all unaltered body cam footage and the names of the officers involved; reduced funding for the police department; more funding for housing-first outreach and unarmed mental health specialists; and the end of surveillance contracts with Flock Safety (primarily known for license plate-reading and surveillance cameras) and BRINC (which makes law-enforcement drones).
“We don’t want the police to participate in (mental health response),” said one community member who did not identify themself during the RPD town hall meeting on Thursday.
Another speaker, who also did not give a name, urged community members to check on people dealing with mental health crises themselves.
“Don’t feel unsafe,” they said. “Get out of the car, and check on that person. Call your friends; call your neighbor; call your family member. Call anyone.” Some audience members applauded in agreement.
Others called for more investment in the department’s Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST), a team of mental health counselors that can provide on-scene de-escalation and assist with calls that involve mental health.
RPD MOST operates seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 11 p.m., with one to four clinicians working at any point within these hours. In 2024, they handled 2,946 mental health responses.
“I would love to hear more about the justification for spending (millions on surveillance), when the MOST team … only has about one to four team members,” Anna Hurt said to RPD Chief Kathryn Nance.
“I think when you look at the data … officer involved use of force will decrease … because we have a better way to monitor and look at resources (using the surveillance tools), and increase our response,” Chief Nance said in response. “I do think it does help.”
Over the course of two years, the Reno City Council has approved a combined $2.3 million for surveillance technology—Flock Safety surveillance cameras in 2024, and BRINC first-responder drones in 2025.
At the Sept. 10, 2025, Reno City Council meeting, Chief Nance said during a discussion item that the department would like more MOST funding to expand the hours and bring on a case worker for more in-depth case management and better connection to services. While Mayor Hillary Schieve expressed support for more funding, no action has apparently been taken.
The MOST team did receive a $25,000 donation from Grace Church in January.
Town hall tensions
While budgeting concerns, surveillance and the death of Michael J. Johnson were top of mind for many at the TPD Town Hall, other attendees voiced different concerns—and on occasion, the attendees clashed. An elderly woman stormed out of the auditorium after shouting “shut up” repeatedly to a man heckling the police chief; the man was kicked out. Another woman called the crowd “incredibly disrespectful” regarding their treatment of Chief Nance.
In response, a crowd member shouted, “I think murder is disrespectful!”
The shooting of Johnson is currently being investigated by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
I think the rod officers are trigger happ.y. there were what five officers that could have disarmed him without the use of a firearm. I think all police departments need to reevaluate their training taking into consideration of how mental health is affecting our communities today. Its not fire first ask questions later. I am 74 years old and a woman. If someone came at me with a chain and I had a gun I would fire to mame not empty out my gun to kill. A chain is no contest for a gun. This officer should not have feared for his life a couple of shots to the knee would have brought him down and he would still be alive.
The audience said call someone, anyone. Well, if friends or fily or neighbors cannot be bothered to welfare check individuals, then you call police. That is someone. Are you really going to have someone other police to attempt to talk to someone sensibly out of anything when they are mentally unstable? You can try, but you can get hurt as a citizen, resident and don’t tell me you wouldn’t press charges against the police or city for not helping, cause you know darn well you all will. You always do. You don’t think about what happens if someone unhinged goes after you. You defund police, no help there. Person could stab or rob you. Person kills you might as well explain to your family that since you voted to defend everything, they cannot sue as you acted on your own behalf since there was no one to call. And when you have done all the talking down, and pleading and begging, the person then jumps, you have just been an accessory accomplis after the fact. Do you want that guilt on your conscience? I sure wouldn’t. Maybe think your ideas through, the pros and cons, good and bad and then see about revisiting defending things.
Anyone know what non-lethal options are available to Reno PD?
Look, I watched the video, the officers conducted themselves in a very kind manner, voice and were TRYING to de-escalate the situation. This guy was too high, or emotional to calm down. When he brought up the chain and charged the officers, they had no recourse but to defend themselves with deadly force. It’s tragic, but he was responsible for his own death, not the officers.
I was gonna leave a point of interest comment about our ” local power tripping under trained criminal minded corrupt police officers. I guess i just did. Oops
Have any of these agencies EVER ruled against another for murder? Hell no! The whole thing b.s. What happened to tazers? What happened to shooting to disarm to stop forward momentum? The cop empied his clip into a mental patient. He was probably dead after the 2nd bullet. The coward put like another7..8..9 more rounds into the guys head chest face. These bad ass law enforcement agents shouldve been able to disarm the guy without any rounds fired. What they are calling a lunge was more like a cry of frustration cuz the guy knew they were t gonna leave they were gonna cuff him and find a reason to take him to jail. This stuff happens daily in our town and in the united states. That guy was harmless. He was killed in cold blood in the streets by someone who takes an oath to serve and protect above all to protect civilians and the constitutional rights we have as americans. These cops arent cops they are the biggest gang in the world. Most of them were made fun of in school and most of them break laws daily in there everyday lives. Are they ever held accountable? No. Part of the 2 tier justice system our corrupt judges and politicians all share a piece of. They call the shots and the thug cops carry out the orders and are protected the whole way. They all need to go thru some civil training before they ever hit the streets. And every last one of them need to be tested weekly for drugs and steroids. Cuz im yet to meet one that has any kind of good judgement. And seriously how many of them actually know the law and how to enact the law? Very very slim to none!!!!! Some of these judges dont even know the law or the rule of law. They do whatever is gonna make their pockets fatter and dont care how many families are ruined cuz of their no conscience lack of info state of mind they stay in. Cops too. The RPD chief is totally wrong about the surveillance and she knows it. Drones and cameras…we are getting closer to being a commi country then ever before. It is disgusting. The voted officials have all been paid. There is no red or blue. Corrupt or super corrupt. Thats the choice. George Carlin had it right from the beginng
Acting in self defense isn’t murder. Just saying