In the high-stakes era of social media and journalism, a simple misidentification could be the catalyst to altering one’s life. Micah David Johnson knows all too well about this harrowing truth. When he awoke the morning of July 8th, in the middle of the crisis in Dallas that left several officers dead, Johnson was greeted by a sea of unread texts, missed phone calls and Facebook notifications. He would soon find out the news that he had been wrongly identified as the Dallas sniper shooter, Micah Xavier Johnson.
A rookie mistake from a freelance journalist led to photos from Micah David Johnson’s Facebook profile to be circulated on social media outlets and hurtful messages to pour into his inbox accusing him of the ill-fated crime.
The act of using false information and misidentifying individuals for heinous crimes is becoming a constant error in the field of journalism, leaving a plethora of issues to be resolved in its aftermath. Anyone faced with such a challenging situation could find the overwhelming pressure and backlash too much to bear. Mark Hughes was also mistakenly identified as the Dallas shooter, only he was taken into custody and Johnson was not.
With an army of support around him, Johnson tackled the issue at once and leaned on his faith to carry his good name back into the light. I had the opportunity to speak with Johnson on what happened.
What was your reaction upon finding out that you had been “identified” as the shooter?
Micah: Initially I was in shock because I was just made aware that the shooter shared the same first and last name as me as well as being from the same sub city of Dallas as me. My first reaction to the misidentification was a mix of fear and anger. With it being so early in the morning, I had to wake up really quick and react in a very reasonable way because as someone that knows how media works, I had to ensure that this mix-up didn’t become something that hindered me or even put my life and my family’s life in jeopardy.
That’s true. It’s crazy how quickly inaccurate statements or in your case, identities can have an effect on not just a specific person but the people in their lives. Do you think that it’s more of a blessing or a curse in times like these, that social media gives anyone access to who you are?
Micah: Initially, it felt like a curse, but as a spiritual man and having so many spiritual people in my circle, it’s becoming blessing I feel. As a social justice advocate, it has given me an opportunity and platform to speak with many of my peers about actual topics that matter via phone and in person, which is how we will be able to solve much of this. We do a lot of typing, and sometimes lack the consciousness that comes manifests from face-to-face conversations. I think that it is an issue sometimes that social media world is so wide open, but it also is a network. We just need to have more people spread love, compassion and positivity. In the Bible, it talks about when people come together for good, Satan is still going to present himself amongst the positivity. It’s always going to be a battle, but I feel the more we practice positivity, it will continue to prevail. Less generalizations and more community. I like to take everyone on case-by-case basis, because that always gives me an opportunity to appreciate people for who they are as individuals and not what group they supposedly “represent.”
What actions or policies do you think could bring about a greater change to ensure what happened to you doesn’t happen to someone else?
Micah: As far as actions and policy, I’m not very sure. Since the gentleman that made the mistake of using my photo in conjunction with his post, I think it is important for anyone reporting any type of news especially in situations that are as serious as this to be thorough. If you post something this detrimental and you have 13,000 followers, just because you delete your post after you realize it’s a mistake doesn’t mean that people aren’t already reacting whatever way they choose to.
Absolutely. When you were going through the situation of trying to let people know that you weren’t Micah Xavier Johnson, but in fact Micah David Johnson, was it your faith that helped you stay strong in such a traumatic time? Did you have family or friends around to uplift you and keep you in that positive mind frame?
Micah: First and foremost was faith, but it was honestly wavered! I had to be reminded of it by friends, family and even my fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.) brothers. I think knowing that my spiritual family was there for me from the beginning was clutch. I even had to share a few tears when one of my older brothers called me. I was just so overwhelmed, but many reminded me to keep my faith strong. Without faith I wouldn’t be able to leave the house and continue to go to work and be me!
Does your employer know what happened with you being mixed up in all this?
Micah: Yes, they are aware. Currently I’m working a part -time job, but i’m currently in [the] job hunting process because I just completed my Masters in College Student Development Administration (Higher Education Administration) and I wonder if this could have negative implications on my job search.
People quickly underestimate how powerful social media is and what it can do to someone’s life. Were you receiving death threats and has that since stopped since you have been working to clear your name?
Micah: Yes, I had a couple of negative messages; [I’m] thanking God no death threats. Ever since I’ve been working to clear things up, [there have] been more messages of people praying for me and just showing love and support as I continue to clean things up. That makes me feel very relieved to be honest, because I’m a family man and I would hate to deal with that and my family having that type of angst.
How do you think this situation will impact you personally, professionally or otherwise, as you begin to move past this experience? What do you want your legacy to be?
Micah: Personally, it showed me that I can keep my composure. Many react with anger, but I wanted to understand first before I made any other moves. I think that is important working with and for the people. Professionally, I think this situation was a form of crisis management, because there was a lot spilled and I had to make sure things were cleaned up and problems were solved. I want my legacy to be one of bringing people together. I have always been one with quite a different background. Moving around as a child and living in 4 different states, I have been able to connect with people from so many different walks of life. I want my legacy to be one centered around God, compassion, being genuine and love. I believe they all connect because God is love, and when you love someone you, are understanding compassionate and genuine along with a plethora of other qualities. I love people, so with all that is going on, it hurts to see people divided and choosing sides. I want to be apart of knocking down those walls, and encouraging others to understand each other and be more united in our communities.
In our interview, Micah told me that the freelance journalist did indeed issue an apology for his tweet. As Micah continues to build a legacy of positivity and love surrounding his consistent platform of social justice, his hope is that love will conquer all things and perpetuate a world in which we can lean on the connections we share to uplift us all.
