In the spring of 2015, a young life was abruptly cut short on the streets of Savannah, Georgia. Derek Johnson Jr., a 19-year-old male, was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting on the evening of Friday, April 24, 2015. He was in a parked car with other people on Glynwood Drive when a minivan approached, and an occupant opened fire on the vehicle. The driver of the car Johnson was in sped away from the scene in an attempt to get him to a hospital for treatment, but his injuries proved to be fatal. He passed away on Saturday, April 25, 2015, at Memorial Health University Medical Center.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the identification of suspects. A minivan, which was later found to belong to a relative of one of the suspects, was discovered wrecked on the northbound entrance ramp to the Truman Parkway from Derenne Avenue shortly after the shooting. Witnesses reported seeing the occupants flee the scene of the crash on foot. Within a few days, the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department made arrests in connection with the homicide.
Two men were charged with the murder of Derek Johnson. Thelron Gregory Winbush Jr., who was 20 years old at the time, was arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault. The second suspect, 19-year-old Za'Kee Jaquan Robinson of Thunderbolt, initially evaded capture but turned himself in to the police. Both men were subsequently charged in the death of the teenager. The motive for the shooting was not immediately released by law enforcement officials. The community mourned the loss of the young man, with funeral services held at the First Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church.
