In the summer of 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the evening calm in a Baltimore neighborhood. On June 16th, a Southeast District officer on patrol heard the shots ring out and moved towards the sound. The officer discovered 43-year-old Lee Johnson on the 1000 block of Granby Street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response, Mr. Johnson succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was a male victim of the city's ongoing gun violence.
Witnesses saw two individuals fleeing the area shortly after the shooting. The investigation quickly led to a dramatic pursuit and arrest. One of the suspects, identified as 26-year-old Devante Stewart, allegedly carjacked a vehicle in his attempt to escape. The getaway was short-lived, as he crashed the stolen car on the 400 block of Asquith Street. Following the crash, Stewart reportedly forced his way into an apartment, where he was apprehended by law enforcement. A second suspect, a 36-year-old man, was also taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting.
Following the arrests, the Baltimore Police Department charged Devante Stewart with first and second-degree murder for his alleged role in the death of Lee Johnson. The case against Stewart proceeded through the legal system as part of a broader effort by city officials to address the high rate of violent crime. The Baltimore Police Department has encouraged anyone with further information regarding the incident to come forward and contact homicide detectives or to leave an anonymous tip with Metro Crime Stoppers.
