In the early morning hours of September 26, 2009, tragedy struck a family in Pittsburgh's Northview Heights neighborhood. Five-year-old Ja-Lyon Johnson-Floyd, a Black male, was sleeping on the living room couch in his Penfort Street home when an unknown gunman entered and opened fire. A single bullet struck the young boy in the chest. He was rushed to Allegheny General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injury. At the time of the shooting, his mother, Shavar Johnson, was asleep upstairs.
Ja-Lyon, who was just weeks away from his sixth birthday, was a kindergartner who had recently graduated from his Head Start program. His family, including his grandmother Mone Parker, lovingly called him 'Jigga.' He was described as a caring child who would help with his younger cousins. The family was left devastated by the sudden and senseless loss. In the days following his death, community members gathered for a candlelight vigil to mourn the young boy and support his grieving family.
The investigation into Ja-Lyon's death has been a long and frustrating journey for his loved ones. From the outset, police believed that the five-year-old was not the intended victim of the shooting. It was suspected that the bullets were meant for a 17-year-old who was also in the home at the time and sustained injuries. Despite this lead, the case has grown cold over the years.
As time passed, Ja-Lyon's family has continued to publicly plead for answers and for those with information to come forward. His mother has expressed the ongoing pain of losing her firstborn son and the lack of peace that comes with an unsolved case. She and Ja-Lyon's grandmother have worked to keep his memory alive, hoping that renewed attention will bring forth the information needed to bring his killer to justice. The investigation into the death of Ja-Lyon Johnson-Floyd remains open, but to date, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. A reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest.
