Gage Gilbert, Michael Johnson Obituary, Death – An early morning 911 hang-up call in Oak Grove on Sunday, April 13, led to a tragic discovery that authorities now believe was a murder-suicide involving two men. The Oak Grove Police Department has since confirmed that both individuals were found dead inside a home on Arkansas Avenue after a tense and ultimately unsuccessful attempt at negotiation with an armed man who had barricaded himself inside.
The incident began around 2:00 a.m., when dispatchers received a 911 call from a cell phone. The call abruptly ended, and the caller did not provide any information. Concerned about the nature of the call, law enforcement officials traced the phone’s location to a residence in Oak Grove. Officers were sent to the scene to conduct a welfare check.
Upon arriving at the house, responding officers reported hearing a single gunshot. They quickly entered the home and discovered a deceased individual just inside the entrance. A second person, who had sustained gunshot wounds and was armed, had retreated to a back room and barricaded himself inside.
According to statements from Oak Grove Police posted on social media, law enforcement attempted to negotiate with the armed individual. However, those efforts were unsuccessful. As the situation escalated, additional support arrived from the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department. With backup on the scene, officers entered the home and conducted a thorough search.
Tragically, they found the second man dead in the back room, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Based on initial evidence, authorities believe the incident was a murder-suicide.
In their official statement on social media, Oak Grove Police initially withheld the identities of the two men to allow time for the families to be notified. However, local news outlet WKDZ Radio later identified the first victim found near the entrance as 27-year-old Gage Gilbert. The second man, discovered after the standoff, was identified as 35-year-old Michael Johnson.
Police have not provided further details regarding the relationship between the two men or what may have led to the deadly confrontation. The investigation remains ongoing, and detectives are working to gather more information, including statements from potential witnesses, any evidence recovered at the scene, and details from the 911 call itself.
At this time, investigators believe the events unfolded as follows: Michael Johnson, for reasons that remain unclear, shot and killed Gage Gilbert before calling 911. It’s possible that Johnson made the call himself but ended it prematurely. Afterward, he remained in the home, wounded and armed, and ultimately took his own life when police efforts to communicate with him failed.
The Oak Grove community has been left stunned by the violent episode, which shattered the peace of a typically quiet residential neighborhood. Neighbors reported being awakened in the early morning hours by the sound of sirens and the large police presence on Arkansas Avenue.
Those who knew the victims are struggling to understand what might have caused the deadly chain of events. While neither the Oak Grove Police Department nor WKDZ Radio provided additional context about any prior interactions between Gilbert and Johnson, residents and loved ones are left with many unanswered questions.
Mental health professionals and victim support services in the area are offering resources to help the community process the tragedy. Local leaders are also urging individuals who may be struggling with emotional or mental health issues to seek help before crises escalate.
Murder-suicide incidents like this one are always difficult to process, especially when they occur in close-knit communities. Authorities often stress the importance of early intervention and support to prevent such tragedies, particularly when signs of stress, depression, or interpersonal conflict are evident.
The Oak Grove Police Department has assured the public that more information will be shared as the investigation continues. For now, they are focused on supporting the victims’ families and piecing together the circumstances that led to the loss of two lives.
Anyone with relevant information about the case is encouraged to contact the Oak Grove Police Department. Meanwhile, the names of the deceased—Gage Gilbert and Michael Johnson—will be remembered by those who knew them, even as the community seeks closure and understanding in the aftermath of this heartbreaking incident.
