On the afternoon of March 7, 2024, the life of 18-year-old Kejohn Alexander Johnson, a Black / African American male known to some as "Noodles," was cut short in his own home in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Responding to a call about a shooting shortly after 1:30 p.m., police officers arrived at the 300 block of Olive Street to a grim scene. They discovered Johnson unresponsive inside a first-floor apartment of the multi-family residence, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
Paramedics at the scene attempted life-saving measures, but their efforts were in vain, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the city's first homicide of the year quickly pointed to a targeted incident. Evidence at the scene included several bullet holes in the back door of the apartment, suggesting a violent and deliberate attack. It was later revealed that Johnson, a student at University School, had been sent home early from school on the day of his death after being involved in a fight with a female student. Surveillance footage from the area would prove crucial in piecing together the events that led to the tragedy.
The investigation led to a swift arrest. On March 12, 2024, Bridgeport police took 19-year-old Romaine Morgan into custody. Morgan was subsequently charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and carrying a pistol without a permit. According to police reports, the motive for the killing stemmed from an incident in November of the previous year, in which Morgan claimed Johnson had robbed him.
Details from the investigation revealed a chilling premeditation to the crime. Surveillance video showed a man dressed in black, later identified as Morgan, arriving in a Mercedes Benz near Johnson's home. For several hours, the suspect was seen pacing back and forth across the street, seemingly watching the residence. At one point, he even appeared to check the name and address on a package left on the front porch. Following the shooting, the same man was seen running from the back of the house. After his arrest, Morgan confessed to the killing, stating that he had waited for Johnson and shot him through the back door. In his account, he claimed a struggle over a gun had occurred, but admitted to firing multiple shots through the door after Johnson had retreated inside. Romaine Morgan pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter with a firearm and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
