Tavion Charles Williamson, 18, a Black/African American male, was shot and killed on the night of December 3, 2017, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His death unfolded in the Hornerstown section of the city, where authorities said he was “gunned down” in Glitch Alley, an alley near Pine Street. Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees said an autopsy showed Williamson died from multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was treated as a homicide.
Before the shooting, Williamson had been with a group of people during what began as an ordinary night. Later court testimony described Williamson, Ethan Williams, and others being together at a party before leaving and going toward 3 Reds Tavern. A prosecution witness, DeOndre Triplin, said the group went to the tavern to buy items and then walked through the area near Horner Street and Glitch Alley. Triplin later testified that he heard a gunshot, turned around, and saw Williams standing over Williamson’s body before more shots were fired. Triplin said he ran home and did not immediately tell anyone because he was afraid.
Williamson’s death hit his family hard. His aunt, Shaketa Salter, described the pain of waking up crying and said the loss hurt in a way she had not fully understood until it happened to her own family. She said Tavion had moved from Georgia to Johnstown in an effort to have a better life. Instead, he became one of several teenagers killed in the city within a short period, adding to a year in which Johnstown authorities had already counted multiple homicides.
For about two months after the shooting, investigators pursued leads before arresting Ethan Williams, then 18, in February 2018. Police said Williams was 17 at the time of the shooting. He was taken into custody after an arrest warrant was issued and was charged in connection with Williamson’s death. The charges included homicide, aggravated assault, firearms not to be carried without a license, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
At a preliminary hearing in March 2018, prosecutors presented testimony from Chief Deputy County Coroner Joseph Hribar and Johnstown police Detective Mark Britton. Britton testified about witness statements placing Williams and Williamson together that night. One witness reportedly said the group had gathered in a basement on McMillan Street, went to 3 Reds Tavern, and then walked toward Glitch Alley, where shots were fired. The defense challenged the strength of the case, arguing that the statements linking Williams to the killing were not reliable and that the witnesses themselves were not present in court for cross-examination at that stage. Williams’ attorney asked for the charges to be dismissed, but the judge denied the request, allowing the case to move forward.
Williams eventually went to trial in Cambria County in July 2020. The prosecution relied heavily on Triplin’s testimony and argued that details in his account were supported by other evidence, including surveillance connected to the tavern purchase and information that Triplin ran home after the shooting. Prosecutors also argued that because Williams was not arrested until two months after the homicide, he would have had time to dispose of evidence.
The defense argued that the case rested almost entirely on Triplin, whose story they said had changed multiple times during the investigation. They also pointed out that investigators initially had Triplin marked as a suspect before later identifying him as a witness. Police said that was because Triplin was known to have been in the area when Williamson was shot, and his classification was changed after interviews. The defense further argued there was no physical evidence tying Williams to the killing.
On July 15, 2020, a Cambria County jury found Ethan Williams not guilty on all charges. After the verdict, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office said it was disappointed but respected the jury’s decision and remained committed to pursuing justice. With Williams acquitted, the public record shows an arrest, charges, and a trial, but no conviction in Tavion Williamson’s homicide.
