Police Officer Earns National Award

A Charleston police officer is set to receive a national award. E. Seth Johnson was shot and wounded in the line of duty in November 2017, and has been named the American Police Hall of Fame’s National Police Officer of the Year. Charleston police will hold a ceremony honoring Johnson at 2 p.m. today in the Charleston City Council Chambers. Johnson responded on Nov. 16, 2017, to a burglary in progress at 610 Albert St. in Charleston and was immediately shot by the suspect, Seth Hardwick. Johnson was hit in the front upper torso but was protected by a bulletproof vest. Johnson returned fire on the suspect, and Hardwick was killed. Johnson is the son of Eric Johnson, the current police chief of Yeager Airport who is a former Charleston officer who was shot twice in 2006 while working undercover in Kanawha City.