Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – In the days following the tragic death of Central Dauphin student Justin Johnson, local news media and organized protesters are inciting mobs to defame high school students and target district officials with accusations of racism.
Justin Johnson was a 10th grader who moved to the school district two years ago from Jamaica, according to his father who found the teenager unconscious on the floor of their home Friday, April 26, 2024. Justin had been outdoors playing with friends before experiencing breathing difficulties while his father was still at work. Later that evening Justin was pronounced dead after being rushed to a local hospital.
The coroner in Dauphin County concluded that Justin Johnson’s death was caused by complications from sickle cell disease. The coroner also identified cardiomyopathy as another “significant condition.” The manner of death was ruled natural.
However, a group of protesters gathered to dispute this finding during a demonstration at Central Dauphin School District that was live streamed by PennLive yesterday. One protester spoke loudly with a megaphone, accusing Justin’s friends, by name, of committing a hate crime that resulted in his death.
An online community led by radical protesters has also been criticized for circulating a similar racial narrative. This radical group immediately politicized the death of Justin Johnson as being a modern day lynching, suggesting that a gang of white boys hunted down Justin with a weapon while yelling racial obscenities.
Local media and newspapers including PennLive have further inflamed the situation by sensationalizing their reporting with racially inflammatory headlines. PennLive published a false headline that was sent out as a mass notification to subscribers of the PennLive app.
A political protester at Friday’s demonstration concluded that this alleged hate crime, and alleged history of racism at Central Dauphin is a rallying call for the 2024 November election.
Recently, the Central Dauphin School District has been recognized as one of the most racially diverse districts in the state, and has been celebrated for its diversity.
Contrary to reports that Justin was hunted down by a group of caucasians, police have revealed that there were four 16-year-old friends who came to Justin’s home the day he passed away – two are white, one is mixed race, and one is Asian. No foul play was found to have occurred by Justin’s friends.
To ensure there was no hate or bias detected in the investigation, Aaron Allen with the Pennsylvania State Police Heritage Affairs Section is now assisting with this case. His office investigates incidents involving hate crimes or racial tension in Pennsylvania, including the mass shooting at a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Harrisburg100 