Shawn Johnson (Minnetonka Fire Department)
Gov. Tim Walz has ordered all flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise on Wednesday to sunset on Thursday to honor Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson of the Minnetonka Fire Department, who passed away on March 5 after a two-year battle with cancer.
Johnson joined the Minnetonka fire in March 2006 as a paid on-call firefighter, and during his time with the department, served as a lieutenant and training captain before joining full-time in 2016 as a fire inspector in the Fire and Life Safety Division. In 2023, he was promoted to deputy fire marshal.
He was also a testing evaluator with the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board, served as vice president of the Minnesota Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators, and worked in leadership roles with the Hennepin County Fire Investigation Team.
Johnson was also awarded Minnesota Fire Investigator of the Year in 2020.
“Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson dedicated his life to protecting others and strengthening the fire service across Minnesota,” said Gov. Walz. “Through two decades of service, he mentored firefighters, safeguarded communities, and built lasting relationships grounded in trust and professionalism. I extend my deepest condolences to his family, the Minnetonka Fire Department, and the many colleagues and friends whose lives he touched.”
