A Jamaican family residing in Pennsylvania is grieving the loss of their 16-year-old son, who tragically passed away following a reported hazing incident with alleged racial implications that has deeply unsettled the local community.
Justin Johnson, a sophomore at Central Dauphin High School, had relocated to the area from Jamaica two years prior. He lost his life after an encounter involving three individuals who purportedly approached his residence and invited him to join them outside for socializing.
Security footage from the Johnson household captured scenes of youths pursuing someone in front of their home. During the pursuit, one of the individuals was overheard remarking, “He’s running like he ran back to Africa,” while another uttered, “He’s gone back to f***ing Africa!”
Justin’s father, Orville Johnson, recounted that his final exchange with his son occurred during a phone call on Friday, during which Justin described fleeing from a group of peers as fast as he could. Shortly after returning home, Justin collapsed, prompting his father to immediately contact emergency services.
“I called 911 immediately and they told me what to do. They called me and said I have to come to the hospital because they’re not getting a heartbeat, and I haven’t seen him since,” Orville said.
Hate crime?
Family members, including Johnson’s father, community members, and those within the Jamaican diaspora, have responded to the incident by labeling it a possible “hate crime.”
Both law enforcement and school officials acknowledge awareness of social media reports suggesting that the Jamaican teen may have been targeted for racial harassment by peers. Johnson’s father further affirmed that other instances of harassment occurred, attributing them to racism.
“The Bureau of Police is aware that content and videos are being shared through various social media outlets and requests the public’s cooperation as we continue this investigation in order to provide a thorough, factual, and information-based account of events,” police said.
According to Lower Paxton Township Police, no charges have been filed yet but an investigation is ongoing.
On April 29, Central Dauphin School District released the following statement.
“The Central Dauphin School District is saddened to hear about the passing of Justin Johnson, a 10th-grade student at Central Dauphin High School. We understand that the circumstances around Justin’s death have not been determined, however, there are social media reports that indicated that Justin was subjected to racial insensitivity from classmates,” the statement said.
“Please understand that this type of behaviour is not consistent with our core values and our vision of making sure everyone is valued and connected. Hate speech or any behaviour that denigrates another person’s rights will not be tolerated and is not consistent with the mission, vision, and values of CDSD,” the statement continued.
