The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office investigates the fatal shooting Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, of a gunman on U.S. 1. | St. Johns County Sheriff's Office
Published on December 3, 2025 at 1:00 pm
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St. Johns County sheriff’s deputies shot a gunman to death late Tuesday after a chase down U.S. 1.
Christopher Lee Johnson, 43, was shot after he had argued with a coworker at a business just over a mile away. Multiple shots were fired during that confrontation as the coworker begged for his life, Sheriff Robert Hardwick said Wednesday during a news conference.
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Sheriff’s deputies then chased Johnson briefly, and one used his cruiser to spin around Johnson’s truck, a move that police call a “PIT maneuver,” for Pursuit Immobilization Technique.
Two deputies shot Johnson as he walked away yelling “shoot me,” Hardwick said.
“He’s waving his firearm in the air,” Hardwick said. “You’ll hear, on the 911 tape, he’s saying, ‘Shoot me, shoot me, kill me,’ and our deputy sheriffs are concerned. This is a man we know is going to kill somebody. We got a man that knows he’s going to end his life — today is his last day.”
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Gunman’s earlier confrontation
The incident began just before 4 p.m. when Johnson argued with the coworker at a business on Thomas Industrial Way, off International Golf Parkway. Both men worked for the same company and had agreed to meet there.
Johnson dialed 911 but said nothing as the dispatcher tried to get someone to talk to her, Hardwick said. The call remained connected during the encounter.
“She asked numerous questions that dispatch would normally ask for any other emergency that they answer the phone on; however, there was no reply,” Hardwick said. “You can definitely hear an argument ensuing as someone is begging for their life and our suspect is basically telling him to get on his knees, that this is basically the end.”
The coworker ultimately crawled under his vehicle, “hiding for his life,” the sheriff said. Johnson was heard telling the co-worker that he had called 911 and “they are already coming,” the sheriff said.
Then Johnson’s .40-caliber handgun either misfired or ran out of ammunition, and the co-worker ran away and flagged down a passing driver. Johnson looked for him then stole his pickup truck and headed down to U.S. 1, Hardwick said.
Investigators later found 14 spent shells at the argument scene, Hardwick said.
About a mile south on U.S. 1, Deputy Robert Hill stopped Johnson with the PIT maneuver and left the pickup truck sideways in the grass near the railroad tracks. Deputies had stopped traffic on U.S. 1 as Johnson got out and walked away, but a motorist live-streamed a video from the scene, Hardwick said.
Johnson had a “criminal history of violence” in New York but also lived in St. Johns County, Hardwick said.
If you have home, business or cellphone video related to this investigation, you can upload it here. Additionally, you can reach the investigative team to share information at crimetips@sjso.org or through dispatch at 904-824-8304. Request to speak to Sgt. Gene Tolbert.
