Local man dies after being stabbed near Goodwill Inn

Mardi Link, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·1 min read

Jun. 18—TRAVERSE CITY — A 53-year-old local man died at Munson Medical Center Hospital from injuries he received after being stabbed during an altercation on Keystone Road.

A 65-year-old man was in custody as a suspect facing open murder charges, law enforcement officials said.

Thomas Dawayne Johnson, 53, of Traverse City died Thursday.

Police have not released the name of the man taken into custody but confirmed he's being lodged in Grand Traverse County's jail pending arraignment.

Johnson was a familiar face among the area's unsheltered community and was well-liked by many, said friends who declined to be identified.

"It's a very sad situation," Ryan Hannon, Goodwill Inn's street outreach coordinator said Friday. "We're supporting the community here with counselors on site. The police assured us there is no danger to anyone else."

Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a property adjacent to the Goodwill Inn at about 6 p.m. Thursday and were in the process of conducting interviews Friday.

Hannon said response by the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office was swift and that counselors from Catholic Social Services were on hand at the Goodwill Inn to provide support to guests.

"This kind of violence is rare," Hannon said. "Yet people experiencing homelessness are much more susceptible to violent crime than the general population. Even with our best efforts, that's the reality. Our guests are dealing with this every day."

Capt. Randy Fewless, of Grand Traverse Sheriff Department's detective bureau, said an autopsy on Johnson would be conducted today in Kalamazoo at Western Michigan University.