Four years after a Belmont Cragin shootout left a federal marshal wounded and a service dog seriously injured, Tarrion Johnson has admitted in federal court that he opened fire during an attempted arrest. Johnson, now 23, pleaded guilty to attempted murder of a federal officer and to using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The plea, reported by WGN-TV, resolves the federal case stemming from the June 2, 2022 confrontation on Chicago's Northwest Side. Johnson is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on November 17.
Belmont Cragin Arrest Warrant Turned Into Shootout
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force had gathered to execute an arrest warrant at a residence near Belmont Avenue. Prosecutors said Johnson ignored commands to surrender, entered a bedroom and fired through a window toward a senior inspector with the U.S. Marshals Service and the marshal's K-9 partner.
The marshal suffered a gunshot wound to the hand, while another round struck his ballistic shield. The K-9 was seriously injured and briefly hospitalized before being released from veterinary care, according to WGN-TV's account; a Chicago police officer returned fire, but that gunfire did not strike anyone.
Sentencing Hearing Set For November
Johnson fled the apartment after the shooting but was taken into custody shortly afterward, prosecutors said. His guilty plea means the federal case will move to sentencing rather than trial, with the final punishment to be determined by the judge.
The case began with state and federal allegations after the shooting, but the plea announced this month addresses the federal charges tied to the marshal and K-9 attack. The November hearing will determine how much prison time Johnson receives for the violent confrontation.
