In the early evening of February 20, 2022, a sense of dread unfolded in a west Birmingham neighborhood that would forever alter the lives of two families and shock a local high school community. Todd Lorenzo Johnson Jr., a 16-year-old male student from Minor High School, was found fatally shot, his life tragically cut short by an act of gun violence. The grim discovery was made after police responded to reports of a shooting and a single-car crash around 8:09 p.m.
near Avenue P and 57th Street.
Upon their arrival, officers were met with a chaotic scene. A car had crashed into a house, and inside, in the passenger seat, they found Todd's classmate, 16-year-old Jeremiah Collier, who had also been shot and was unresponsive. The search for answers quickly led them about two blocks away, where they located Todd Lorenzo Johnson Jr. He too had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Investigators believe both teenagers were in the same vehicle when the shooting occurred. It is thought that after being shot, Todd managed to flee from the car, running for two blocks before he collapsed.
The initial stages of the investigation were challenging for law enforcement, with limited information available about the circumstances that led to the double homicide. The community, particularly students and staff at Minor High School, was left reeling from the sudden and violent loss of two of their own. The school's principal expressed deep sorrow, noting that he knew both young men personally and that grief counselors would be made available to support the grieving student body.
In the months that followed, the Birmingham Police Department's Homicide Unit diligently pursued leads in the case. Their efforts eventually led to a significant breakthrough. Two 16-year-old male juveniles were identified as suspects in connection with the double murder. Capital murder warrants were secured for both individuals. The first suspect was taken into custody on March 2, 2022. The second suspect was arrested on June 16, 2022, bringing a measure of progress to the investigation. Both teenagers were subsequently held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond, facing serious charges for their alleged roles in the deaths of Todd Lorenzo Johnson Jr. and Jeremiah Collier.
