Africa Johnson, 52, a female Black/African American resident of Los Angeles, died on August 4, 2025, after being shot outside a late-night warehouse gathering near East 14th Place and Paloma Street in downtown Los Angeles. The gunfire erupted shortly after 1 a.m., hours after officers had dispersed an earlier unlawful party at the same location, and she was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Another victim, Gregory DeRisso, 29, died at the scene, and multiple others were wounded as chaos swept the industrial blocks just north of the 10 Freeway.
Investigators described the episode as possibly gang-related and part of a spate of unsanctioned gatherings that have troubled the district. Witness accounts and early reports tied the violence to an after-party that followed a shut-down event; police had previously detained one person at the site for firearm possession before the shooting hours later. In the immediate aftermath, detectives worked through shell casings and conflicting stories from partygoers, piecing together how the night’s tensions escalated into a burst of gunfire that left Africa Johnson, 52, female, mortally wounded.
Authorities formally identified Africa Johnson, 52, female, through the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, which classified her death as a homicide caused by gunshot injury. The scene, described by witnesses as a warehouse party turned frantic escape route, saw at least six additional people transported to area hospitals—two listed initially in critical condition—while detectives canvassed the neighborhood for surveillance footage and cooperating witnesses.
In the days that followed, community advocates announced a vigil for Africa Johnson, 52, female, and for the 29-year-old man killed beside her, drawing mourners who lit candles and demanded accountability amid the uncertainty. Public records of the incident logged the location and date, while memorial pages recorded both the loss of life and the number of others wounded in the barrage.
As of the latest reports, police had not announced any arrests directly tied to the killing of Africa Johnson, 52, female, and no suspects had been publicly identified in connection with the mass shooting itself. Though officers arrested one individual with a firearm when they first broke up the party hours earlier, officials made clear that the investigation into the later gunfire was ongoing, with no named assailant or motive confirmed.
