Rockdale official Kenny Johnson dies after testifying at public hearing at Georgia Capitol

ATLANTA–Kenny A. Johnson, Rockdale County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, died on Tuesday after testifying about BioLab during a public hearing at the Georgia Capitol.

State legislators, who were holding the meeting concerning the Sept. 29 BioLab chemical fire, said Johnson approached the microphone, testified and then walked out of Room 606 at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, where the meeting was held, and collapsed.

State Rep. Viola Davis, who is a nurse, rushed out to perform CPR  after someone announced that Johnson was having a medical emergency. Paramedics were called in to take Johnson to Grady Hospital.The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed Johnson’s death.

“When he (Johnson) stood at the microphone

he said that he was trying to catch his breath,” Mitchell said. “He obviously was very passionate about the information that he was sharing with the public about what was going on in Rockdale concerning BioLab,” said Mitchell. “Everybody was shocked when we learned that he didn’t make it. What a tragedy.”

Members of the House and Senate Rockdale County Legislative Delegations, House Minority Caucus, and the DeKalb County Legislative Delegation had held the meeting to hear from citizens, business owners, employees, and others impacted by the Biolab chemical fire

Johnson told the legislative panel that BioLab must be shut down. He said the company keeps toxic chemicals including sulfuric acid, at the plant, and he urged everyone in the Rockdale community to get a blood test done. Johnson also demanded a federal criminal investigation into BioLab.