CLEVELAND — Trayvon Johnson, the man who was shot by a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent in Cleveland earlier this month spoke out in a press conference Tuesday morning.
"I’m happy to be alive and happy to see my family," Johnson said. "It’s a miracle for me to be here. My family tells me this every time they see me. I wasn’t doing nothing wrong. I was on my way home."
When asked how he's feeling today, Johnson said he's in pain after the shooting.
“A lot of pain. Pain. Every day I go through pain. Nothing but pain.”
Johnson, 21, was accompanied by his attorney, Stanley Jackson, of the Cochran Firm during the Tuesday morning press conference. Jackson said his client did not brandish a gun nor pose a threat.
"Most of the time when you see these police shooting cases, an individual doesn’t survive," Jackson said. "But by the grace of God, Trayvon Johnson is here with us today.”
Jackson, who said the report from authorities contradicts what actually happened, called the situation "unacceptable" and said the agent needs to be held accountable.
“Not once did the officer identify himself as an officer," Jackson said. "He didn’t even speak to Trayvon when he exited the car and started shooting at him. He did not identify himself as an officer as they fled into the house. He didn’t say anything about being an officer or give any commands.”
We streamed the entire press conference live on YouTube, which you can watch in full below:
Jackson said there's only one meaning to justice in this case.
“Justice is the officer being charged," he said. "Nothing less.”
Last week, 3News reported that newly released court records (see below) that show the April 14 shooting happened after the agent reportedly saw Johnson carrying a firearm in his waistband.
"Trayvon Johnson brandished a firearm by lifting his shirt with his left hand displaying a black and silver firearm, which was in his front waistband, as he walked directly towards the white SUV," according to the document obtained by 3News. "The undercover agent seeing Johnson's firearm and engagement towards him felt threatened, exited his vehicle, fired his service weapon and retreated to the rear of his vehicle."
Johnson, who was released on bond, faces two charges in the case: Carrying concealed weapons and menacing by stalking.
According to Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, plain-clothed DEA agents were inside a car carrying out an unspecified operation near East 82nd Street and Decker Avenue when two "unrelated" people approached one of the agents while "brandishing a weapon." Martin said the agent "felt threatened" and "gunfire was exchanged," resulting in one of the approaching individuals being shot.
Authorities say a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson was recovered from the scene following the incident. Johnson's attorney, however, questions that part of the case, too.
"Now you question everything, right? You have one story that the agent in charge and the police chief are going with. ... Then you have a video that's totally contradictory of that. A video doesn't lie, right? You see what you see. Unfortunately we find out that DEA agents, and other agents, they lie."
Earlier this month, Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin said that the Cleveland Division of Police will handle the investigation of the incident and Martin promised transparency, saying "they will have everything they need."
Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published on April 15, 2021.