Witness to Ferguson shooting wanted on JC warrant

Former LU student accused of stealing

Dorian Johnson, 22, witnessed a Ferguson police officer shoot and kill Michael Brown. Johnson is a former Lincoln University student wanted on a Jefferson City warrant for a misdemeanor stealing charge from 2011.
Dorian Johnson, 22, witnessed a Ferguson police officer shoot and kill Michael Brown. Johnson is a former Lincoln University student wanted on a Jefferson City warrant for a misdemeanor stealing charge from 2011.

A St. Louis man who said he was with Michael Brown when Brown was shot and killed Aug. 9 in Ferguson is a former Lincoln University student who is wanted on a misdemeanor stealing charge in Jefferson City.

Records from Jefferson City's law department show Dorian Johnson, 22, was arrested June 24, 2011, for taking a package that was delivered to an apartment at Broadmoor Apartments on Ellis Boulevard. The package contained a backpack. Police also reported that Johnson lied to them about his identity when he was arrested.

A Jefferson City police report identified him as a Lincoln University student at the time.

A trial was set for July 31, 2013, on the stealing charge, but Johnson did not appear in court, authorities said.

As part of this same case, Johnson was also charged with making a false report. However, court records show he pleaded guilty to that charge in September 2012 and was placed on two years unsupervised probation. Johnson failed to complete his community service in that case, court records show.

There is an order for Johnson's extradition if he is arrested within a 50-mile radius of Jefferson City. Ferguson is more than 100 miles from Jefferson City.

Last week, Johnson told authorities Brown was shot while in an unprovoked confrontation with a police officer. He claimed that Brown didn't grab for the officer's weapon, which law enforcement authorities have disputed.