Officer Down Memorial Page - http://www.odmp.org

Officer Niles Frederick Johantgen | Atlanta Police Department, Georgia
Atlanta Police Department, Georgia

Officer

Niles Frederick Johantgen

Atlanta Police Department, Georgia

End of Watch: Saturday, December 21, 1991

Biographical Info

Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 21, 1991
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Life without parole

Officer Johantgen was shot and killed as he was frisking a suspect on Henry Thomas Drive.

Another man hit Officer Johantgen in the back of the head from behind, then shot him in the back of the head as he lay on the ground. The man who attacked him was upset that Officer Johantgen had arrested a man for drugs in the suspect's home and that he was searching three of the suspect's friends.

The suspect was sentenced to death in 1993. In 2017, the suspect agreed to life in prison without parole after an appeals judge threw out the death sentence.

Officer Johantgen was a United States Marine Corps veteran and served with the Atlanta Police Department for three years. He is survived by his wife and two sons.