🚨 UFO Encounter or Something More? | The Val Johnson Incident - Beyond The Shadows Podcast 👽In this chilling episode of Beyond The Shadows, we dive deep into one of the most mysterious and well-documented UFO encounters in American history — the Val Johnson Incident.On a quiet August night in 1979, Deputy Sheriff Val Johnson of Marshall County, Minnesota, had a run-in with something inexplicable while on patrol. What followed was a bizarre crash, strange physical effects, and evidence that baffled investigators for decades.Join us as we explore the facts, the timeline, the aftermath, and the lingering questions that continue to haunt this case. Was it a genuine encounter with the unknown — or is there a more earthly explanation?🔍 In this episode:A detailed account of Val Johnson’s eerie encounterPhysical evidence and damaged patrol car analysisEyewitness reports and law enforcement reactionsTheories ranging from extraterrestrial contact to secret military techSources : primary and Official SourcesMarshall County Sheriff's Office Report (1979)Original incident report filed by Deputy Val Johnson detailing the encounter, vehicle damage, and witness statement.NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena) ArchivesCase files and correspondence related to the Val Johnson Incident.Website: nicap.orgCenter for UFO Studies (CUFOS) Case ArchiveLed by J. Allen Hynek; investigation notes and physical evidence examination related to Johnson's car.Website: www.cufos.orgAPRO (Aerial Phenomena Research Organization) Reports (1979–1980)Field investigator analysis and medical documentation excerpts. (Archived in physical collections)🔹 Media Coverage (Contemporaneous & Retrospective)Minneapolis Star TribuneArticles from August and September 1979 covering the incident and local reactions.Associated Press National Wire Reports (August 28–31, 1979)Widely syndicated short pieces introducing the Johnson incident to national audiences.KSTP-TV Eyewitness News (1979)Television coverage including interviews with Johnson and Sheriff Dennis Brekke.“Unsolved Mysteries” – NBC (Original Air Date: October 18, 1990)Episode featuring a dramatized version of the Val Johnson case and updated interviews.🔹 Books and Scholarly Works“The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry” – J. Allen Hynek (1972)Although published before the incident, this book laid the groundwork for Hynek’s investigative approach used in the Johnson case.“UFOs and the National Security State” – Richard M. Dolan (Vol. 1 & 2)Discusses government reactions to credible UFO incidents, including cases like Johnson's.“Encounter at Warren: The Val Johnson Incident” – Marshall County Historical Society (Pamphlet, 1995)Local publication on the case, now archived at the museum in Warren.“Minnesota UFOs and Paranormal Encounters” – Chad Lewis (2006)Contains a chapter dedicated to Val Johnson’s encounter and its regional impact.🔹 Audio & Podcast ReferencesCoast to Coast AM – Interview with Val Johnson (1990s archive)Johnson's rare radio appearance recounting the experience without sensationalism.Somewhere in the Skies Podcast – Episode: “Police Encounters with UFOs” (2018)Discusses Johnson alongside other law enforcement UFO cases.UFO Chronicles Podcast – Episode: “The Deputy and the Light” (2022)
Includes reenactment, interviews with researchers, and commentary on the cultural legacy.Institutional and Archival SourcesMinnesota Historical Society – Newspaper & Audio ArchivesPreserves several local newspapers and media broadcasts on the incident.Marshall County Historical Society MuseumHouses the original squad car, case exhibits, and oral histories from local residents.Project Blue Book Files (declassified)While Blue Book closed in 1969, the format and methodology influenced Hynek’s later investigation of the Val Johnson case.
