In the early hours of New Year's Day in 2013, a promising life was tragically cut short in the Tioga section of Philadelphia. Stephen Khiry Johnson, a 23-year-old African American man and a senior marketing major at Temple University, was shot and killed while attempting to de-escalate a conflict at a party. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. inside an apartment on the 1700 block of Venango Street.
Known for being strong-minded and articulate, Johnson was trying to act as a
peacemaker during an argument when the violence erupted. Two other men were also wounded in the shooting. The loss of Johnson, who had ambitions of joining the Navy and starting his own business to serve his community, was deeply felt by his family, friends, and the university community. His aunt remembered him as someone who could light up a room.
In the days following the shooting, Philadelphia police identified 22-year-old Lawrence Jeffries as the shooter and arrested him. Jeffries, a resident of Glenside, was subsequently charged with murder and other related offenses in connection with Johnson's death. The case proceeded through the legal system, and in December 2016, Lawrence Jeffries was sentenced for his role in the death of Stephen Khiry Johnson.
