The community of Roseburg gathers to remember Jason Johnson, one of the nine victims of the October 1, mass shooting at Umpqua Community College.
John Rosman / OPB
Jason Johnson, 33, was in his first week at Umpqua Community College.
School was a new start for him. Last year, he was arrested along with his brother on drug charges and a parole violation. According to media reports, he had recently finished a treatment program at the Salvation Army.
Johnson's family released a statement at a news conference last week, shortly after the shooting at Umpqua Community College.
"Jason recently enrolled at school at Umpqua Community College," the statement said. "Jason was proud of himself for enrolling in school and so was his mother. (His family) felt that Jason had finally found his path."
The family said Johnson was also "proud to be a Christian."
The Oregonian reported that Johnson was born in Hawaii and grew up in California. He moved to the Roseburg area in 2008.
A cousin described him as intelligent, with a good heart.
His mother, Tonja Johnson Engle, said at his memorial service that Johnson was turning around his life.
"He could yell and yell and yell. And the louder he yelled, the less you listened," she said. "He finally figured out if you don't yell, we might listen. So, he was getting better at that. He was improving his life and his attitude."
According to The Oregonian, Thursday was Johnson's birthday. He would've been 34 years old.
Jason's family said in a statement that he was loved and will be missed.
