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| Todd Johnson in the hospital. (Courtesy family) |
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (DailyKenn.com) — A 48-year-old Grand Rapids man remains in rehabilitation months after a brutal street assault by a group of teenagers that left him with a severe traumatic brain injury, as authorities continue to pursue charges against additional suspects in the connected robbery and burglary.
Todd Johnson was walking home from the Holiday Bar in the early morning hours of Aug. 16, 2025, when he was attacked around 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of Eighth Street NW and Parkhurst Avenue on the city's West Side. According to police reports, Johnson had made it only partway to his nearby home when four to six juveniles ambushed him, beating him unconscious and robbing him of personal items. He lay on the sidewalk for several hours, undiscovered until a passerby, identified only as neighbor Scholten, spotted him around 6 a.m. and called paramedics.
Johnson was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, where he underwent emergency surgery for a brain injury sustained in the assault. He spent a week in intensive care before being transferred to a rehabilitation center, where family members say he faces a long recovery process that could last months. "The whole situation just did not look right," an anonymous neighbor recounted, describing how she later saw three young men emerging from behind Johnson's residence shortly after the attack. Police reports indicate the assailants followed Johnson home, broke into the property in the 1900 block of Eighth Street NW, ransacked the interior and stole his vehicle.
Grand Rapids police responded to the burglary report around 8:30 a.m. that day, initially unable to contact the homeowner. It was not until the hospital notified authorities of an unidentified patient matching the home's resident description that investigators connected the incidents. Surveillance footage and social media posts by the suspects, in which they bragged about the beating and shared video, aided the probe.
By late October 2025, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced charges against six teenagers, ranging in age from 14 to 17, including assault, robbery and breaking and entering. Four were initially charged as juveniles in September, with two more added following forensic analysis linking them to the stolen car and items from the home. All face potential adult prosecution, though decisions remain pending. "This was a very heinous crime," Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said, emphasizing the life-threatening nature of Johnson's injuries.
The case has sparked outrage in the tight-knit West Side community, where Johnson's friendly demeanor—he was a familiar face at local bars—has fueled calls for tougher juvenile accountability. Friend Nicole Skokna, who launched a GoFundMe raising thousands for medical bills, questioned parental oversight: "Why are there 14- to 17-year-olds out at 1:30 in the morning?"
A fundraiser at Bridge Street's bars donated proceeds in September, drawing dozens who shared stories of Johnson's kindness. Family member JJ Johnson, his sister, described the attack as unimaginable, urging witnesses to come forward. As of early December, Johnson is showing gradual progress in rehab, but the family vows to seek full justice.
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