West Virginia Lady Cop Shot After Responding To Traffic Complaint Passes Away

A female police officer who ended up getting shot in the face while responding to a traffic complaint has died. Charleston police officer Cassie Johnson, 28, was removed from life support after it was determined she would not make full recovery from her wounds.

Johnson was responding to a traffic complaint at Garrison Avenue at around 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. A 38-year-old suspect, identified as Joshua Phillips had reportedly shot the officer in the face. It remains unclear what sparked the shooting. Johnson’s organs will be donated according to officials.

Further, it is believed that Johnson was able to fire a shot at Philips. The 38-year-old is in the hospital and undergoing surgeries for his wound according to a report from the Gazette-Mail.

"To say we are heartbroken is an understatement," Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said on Thursday. "We are at a loss because we have lost one of our sisters in blue."

After the shooting, Johnson was hospitalized but in critical condition. He underwent surgery but her body could not sustain life by itself. It was here where it was decided that she be taken off life-support.

“With a heavy heart, I hate to say she is not going to be able to pull through this,” police Chief Tyke Hunt said to reporters outside Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital. “She is still fighting but her body is unable to sustain life by itself.”

Hunt commended Johnson for her actions, calling her a true hero.

“As one final parting gift to continue to help others, she is an organ donor,” Hunt said. “The doctors are working with the family to determine eligibility and work out some donorship there.”

The case remains under investigation. Additional information has yet to be gathered as statements from witnesses and evidence are still being collected.

The sheriff’s office will turn over these pieces of information to the Charleston Police Department and the Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office once done. This will also likely determine the charges that will be filed against Phillips.

The sheriff’s office will turn over that information to the Charleston Police Department and the Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine possible charges to be filed against Phillips.

“I really can’t get into more detail, I’m sorry,” Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford said. “We want the full extent of the law to apply in this case. We’re going to do this right and we’re going to do a thorough and conclusive investigation.”