William responded to call about fireworks being set off in an apartment complex, and was talking a 13-year-old boy while still seated in his patrol car, when Johnson walked up to the passenger side door and opened fire, striking William several times. William attempted to drive away, before crashing into a tree a short distance away. Johnson then walked up to the car and shot William several more times. Johnson blamed William for the death of his little brother, who earlier in the day, had collapsed and had a seizure, before later dying at the hospital.