Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson Dead in Apparent Suicide After Facing Sexual Assault Allegations

Kentucky lawmaker Dan Johnson died of what was most likely a suicide on Wednesday. He was 57.

Johnson was the pastor of Heart of Fire church in Louisville, and was elected into the state legislature in 2016, according to the Chicago Tribune. On Monday, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published an investigative piece about a woman who said in 2013, Johnson sexually assaulted her when she was 17 — adding him to the list of high-profile men accused of sexual assault in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Johnson had publicly denied the allegations.

In a Facebook post published on Wednesday that has since been taken down, Johnson said PTSD “is a sickness that will take my life,” according to the Chicago Tribune. He also repeated that the allegations against him were “totally false.”

If this news is hard for you, know you are not alone — and there is help for people who are feeling suicidal. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text “START” to 741-741. Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.

If you’re a survivor of sexual assault and find reports of his alleged misconduct triggering, you can text “START” to 741-741, or call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

If you or someone you know needs help, visit our suicide prevention resources page.

If you need support right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or reach the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741-741.

Lead photo via WDRB News