De’Joshua J. Johnson, a 31-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life following a shooting incident on November 6, 2021, in Pahokee, Florida. Johnson, a former standout football player at Pahokee High School, was attending a block party celebrating the annual Muck Bowl victory when the incident occurred. The Muck Bowl is a highly anticipated football game between Pahokee High School and its rival, Glades Central High School. The celebration turned deadly when gunfire erupted, resulting in Johnson and two other individuals being shot. Johnson succumbed to his injuries four days later, on November 10, 2021.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reported that deputies were attempting to disperse a large crowd at the block party when the shooting took place. Witnesses indicated that the shots were fired from a passing vehicle. The other two victims, whose identities have not been disclosed, survived their injuries. Johnson's family initially requested that his identity be withheld under a state amendment that allows crime victims or their families to keep their names out of public records. However, they later rescinded this request to aid the investigation.
De’Joshua Johnson was a well-known figure in his community, having been a four-star football recruit who signed with Florida State University in 2010. Although he did not enroll at FSU due to academic ineligibility, he continued his football career at junior colleges and eventually at New Mexico Highlands University. His death marked the second homicide of a former Pahokee athlete in 2021, following the shooting of Jim-Travis Gray earlier that year.
The investigation into Johnson's murder is ongoing. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has released video footage of the shooting in hopes of garnering public assistance. A reward of $3,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest. Despite these efforts, no arrests have been made, and the authorities have not disclosed any suspects or motives related to the shooting.
