NYSSA, Ore. — "Honor, integrity and service" aren't just three words in Nyssa Police Department's mission statement; they also help describe late reserve officer Joseph Johnson.
"[Johnson] exemplified that," Police Chief Don Ballou said. "Honor, integrity, service ... that's him."
Johnson lived in Ontario, Oregon, and worked as a mental health officer at the Oregon Department of Corrections. He served as a reserve officer in his free time and died in the line of duty Saturday night.
He was 43.
"[Johnson's] a husband, he's a father, he's a brother to us," Ballou said. "He's not going to be replaced."
Police arrested Rene Castro, 36, the man suspected of shooting and killing Johnson early Monday morning.
At 8:20 p.m. Saturday, Johnson responded to a call about a "violent" person damaging property and threatening some people at a house in Nyssa, Oregon. Goldthorpe said when Johnson arrived, people at the house told him Castro had fled in his car.
Johnson chased Castro through the area before Castro eventually pulled over, Goldthorpe said.
"The officer, as he normally would, as any officer would have, was taking that as a traffic stop when the vehicle stops," he said. "So, he pulled over near where it stopped as well, and immediately based on witness statements, the suspect, Rene Castro, just began shooting."
Castro has previous run-ins with the Nyssa Police Department, and Goldthorpe said Johnson knew who he was.
Johnson was still in his car and had no time to return fire or defend himself, Goldthorpe said. By the time first responders arrived, Johnson was already dead.
Johnson volunteered at the police department for five years. Ballou said he was "probably their highest trained officer" and extremely dedicated.
Many people in the Nyssa and Ontario communities are grieving. Dozens of people showed up to a vigil outside the police department on Sunday night held in Johnson's honor.
Ballou said losing one of their own weighs heavily and that they'll always remember how Johnson perfectly embodied the police department's mission statement of "honor, integrity and service."
"You feel like you failed because, in my spot, you promised your families they're going to come home," he said, "and he's not coming home. I just want to thank his family for sharing [Johnson] with us and having him share his time and letting him be a family with us."
There is a news conference scheduled about the shooting scheduled for Tuesday morning. People can watch the press conference live at KTVB.com.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Malheur County Dispatch at 541-473-5125. The Fallen Badge Foundation is also accepting donations on behalf of Johnson's family.
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