Detective explains how he found suspect

January 18, 2019 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

You can say Detective Sgt. Michael Cox is not only “old school,” but “new school,” as well.

Testifying Thursday in the preliminary hearing for Traylor Coleman Johnson, 21, who is accused in the Nov. 29 shooting death of Derrick Franklin, 23, Cox explained how he blended new police techniques such as social media and video with tactics. Those included seeking out other law-enforcement sources for help and things he learned in 12 years as a patrol officer.

Franklin was shot at the All City Sports Bar on Mahoning Avenue early Nov. 29 and died a couple of hours later at St. Elizabeth Youngs-town Hospital. He was shot four times, including once in the chest. Johnson was arrested about a week later and had a preliminary hearing Thursday before Judge Carla Baldwin in municipal court. Judge Baldwin sent the case to a Mahoning County grand jury after the hearing.

Cox was called to the bar about 1:30 a.m. Nov. 29, but Franklin was already in the hospital when he arrived. Speaking to witnesses, he found out the suspect, later identified as Johnson, went by the street name “Tu Tu,” and there was a picture of him on Facebook. Cox used his smartphone to look up the Facebook page with Johnson’s picture, then emailed it to a juvenile probation officer, asking if he knew anyone who went by that street name and if that person was Johnson. That probation officer shared the picture with his colleagues and was able to report back that the person with that street name is Johnson, Cox testified.

Cox then got the video footage from the bar, which showed 10 camera angles. He said the footage shows Johnson walking on the sidewalk outside the bar on his way in, holding his hand up near his chest like he was adjusting something. Cox said that from his years as a patrol officer, that was a sign that someone was carrying a gun and adjusting it within their clothing.

Inside the bar, the footage shows Johnson still fiddling with his chest, and at one point, the upper part of his jacket was open, revealing a dark object around his shoulder area. Franklin is also shown in the video eating with friends and talking. The footage shows patrons relaxing, dancing, hugging and shaking hands and fist bumping each other.

At the time of the shooting, those patrons can be seen running away or cowering on the floor for cover. Franklin is shot just off camera, but he collapses back into camera range after he is shot.

Cox also showed footage of people running out the front door after the shots were fired. He said Johnson had a glowing object in his hand, and was the only person who had any type of glow. Cox said that glow was probably from a gun that had just been fired.