Residents of Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania, are reeling from the heartbreaking loss of Justin Johnson, a 16-year-old Black student who died after a troubling incident involving his white classmates.
According to a report by Atlanta Black Star on May 2, 2024, Johnson passed away just days before his 17th birthday, succumbing to complications of sickle cell disease and cardiomyopathy after an alarming encounter with two white teenagers.
Surveillance footage captured the distressing events, showing Johnson being chased by his peers while racial slurs were hurled at him. The incident has sparked speculation about racial harassment and the role it played in Johnson’s untimely death.
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Despite the autopsy results attributing his passing to natural causes related to his medical condition, questions linger about the circumstances leading to his cardiac arrest.
The Central Dauphin School District has denounced hate speech and discriminatory behavior, while Johnson’s family seeks justice through legal channels, suspecting a potential link between his death and a TikTok trend and investigating the possibility of one of the teens carrying a weapon during the chase.
Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo emphasized that the case remains open, highlighting the ongoing efforts to evaluate the actions and intentions of those involved in this tragic and deeply troubling event.
