Stray bullet cuts short St. Thomas student's adventurous, joyful life

Friends and family gathered Monday to mourn the loss of Charlie Johnson, who was shot and killed outside a Minneapolis nightclub just hours before he was set to graduate from the University of St. Thomas.

Johnson died May 22. He was 21.

A private memorial service was livestreamed on the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas' Facebook page to commemorate Johnson's life, acknowledge his death and celebrate the indelible mark the joyful young man left behind.

"We are all sorry today," the Rev. Lawrence Blake told the Johnson family and mourners who packed the chapel. "We don't want that sadness and the suffering that we've experienced and the death of Charlie to be the last word. We want life to be the last word and that message of peace."

Friends and family who spoke at the event tried to find a way to do just that. They gave funny eulogies to capture Johnson's spirit and to turn their sorrow into healing.

He was "the most adventurous, hilarious and kind soul any of us will ever meet," Johnson's friend Drew Malecek said.

Camille Johnson called her younger brother "Chuckles," describing him as compassionate and someone who cherished his time with family and friends whether at home or traveling.

"Goofy, calm, kind and so special, Charlie lived every day to the fullest, sharing smiles and seeking adventures," Camille said, fighting her emotions. "There's no words to justify the pain of losing my other half, but I know that his smile will always be with me and all of us every step of the way as we continue our adventure."

Johnson, a mechanical engineering major from Golden Valley, was out with friends the night before graduation when he was "hit by stray gunfire" outside the Monarch nightclub in downtown Minneapolis, according to his father, Greg.

One other person died and eight people were wounded in what police called a confrontation between two people on a crowded sidewalk.

Prosecutors have charged 24-year-old Jawan Contrail Carroll of Bloomington with second-degree murder in connection with Johnson's death.

The family visited the nightclub last week and spent time standing at the spot where Johnson took his final breath.

The young man's death shook the St. Thomas community, turning what would have been a joyful graduation day into an acknowledgment of loss. Johnson was remembered at three commencement ceremonies on May 22. His name was read and an empty chair was draped with a cap and gown. His sister, a St. Thomas graduate, accepted his diploma.

At Monday's memorial, Julie Sullivan, president of the private Catholic university, extended her support and prayers to the family, assuring them that "we are committed to honoring Charlie's legacy by continuing to do the work Charlie embraced to make this world a better place."

Johnson's family and friends say he loved traveling, surfing and visiting national parks.

An avid fan of the "Lord of the Rings" books and movies, he even studied abroad in New Zealand where the movies were filmed.

His love for the outdoors was on display at the chapel, with a photo of a shirtless Johnson along with the words, "I am Charlie."

A photo montage of his adventures scrolled during a video tribute to Johnson with messages from family members.

In his final days, Johnson designed in a sketch book a quote by Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer.

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving," read an emotional Malecek, saying Johnson was a true representation of those words.

"He had a zest for life and adventure that will never be matched," he said.