Micah Xavier Johnson (c. 1991 – July 8, 2016) was living with his mother in Mesquite, Texas.[6][13][15] When he was four, his parents divorced. Johnson attended John Horn High School and participated in its Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program, according to the Mesquite Independent School District.[23] He graduated from high school in 2009.[24]
Johnson had served in the U.S. Army Reserve from March 2009 to April 2015, serving as a carpentry and masonry specialist.[25] Johnson held the rank of private first class and was deployed to Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014[26][27] with the 420th Engineer Brigade.[28] During his time at Afghanistan, he was accused of sexual harassment by a female soldier, who sought a restraining order against him and said that he needed mental health counseling. After the U.S. Army initiated proceedings to dishonorably discharge him, Johnson, at the advice of his lawyer, waived his right to a hearing in exchange for a lesser charge.[29]
Johnson received the Army Achievement Medal and a NATO Medal for his tour of duty in Afghanistan.[28] He left the Army Reserve following his return from Afghanistan and was working as an aide for mentally challenged children prior to his death.[24] He had no criminal record in Texas.[6]
Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown said that Johnson, who was black,[30] was upset about the Black Lives Matter movement and recent police shootings, and according to Brown, "stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers".[4][31] A friend and former coworker of Johnson's described him as "always [being] distrustful of the police".[23]
Investigators have found no ties between Johnson and international terrorist or domestic extremist groups.[25] However, an investigation into his online activities uncovered his "interest" in black nationalist groups.[29] Johnson's now-deactivated Facebook page showed that he had "liked" the pages of black nationalist organizations such as the New Black Panther Party, and also posted angry rants against white people.[24][32] Another black nationalist organization Johnson followed was the African American Defense League, whose leader called for the murders of police officers across the U.S. following the fatal 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald.[29] A profile photo depicted Johnson raising his arm in a Black Power salute, along with images of a Black Power symbol and a flag associated with the Pan-Africanism movement.[29][32]