Lationna Johnson, a 19-year-old Black / African American female, found her life tragically cut short on a spring evening in Wichita, Kansas. On May 20, 2023, what began as a night out in the Old Town district ended in violence that would ultimately claim her life. Johnson, a certified nursing assistant and a new mother to a 6-month-old daughter, was with her two younger sisters and two friends when an altercation broke out.
She stepped in to break up a fight between a childhood friend and another woman, successfully de-escalating the situation. As Johnson and her companions were driving away from the scene near First Street and Washington, the other woman involved in the dispute, identified as 19-year-old La'Niha Banks, produced a handgun and opened fire on their vehicle.
Johnson was struck by two bullets, sustaining gunshot wounds to her neck and shoulder. Emergency services rushed her to a local hospital in critical condition. Despite undergoing surgery and being placed on life support, Lationna Johnson succumbed to her injuries five days later on May 23, 2023. Her loved ones described her as a sweet, caring, and open-hearted person who had plans to attend aesthetician school.
In the wake of the shooting, the Wichita Police Department identified La'Niha Banks as the suspect and initiated a search. Banks managed to evade capture for 17 days before she was arrested on June 6, 2023. She was subsequently charged with a litany of crimes, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and multiple counts of aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm.
The case proceeded to trial, where a jury deliberated for about two and a half hours before finding Banks guilty on all eight criminal counts in March 2024. During the legal proceedings, Banks claimed she acted in self-defense, fearing for her life after being beaten by several people. However, the prosecution argued that Banks had instigated the initial fight and brought a gun to a fistfight. In August 2024, La'Niha Banks, then 20, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Lationna Johnson. She will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. The judge also ordered her to serve consecutive sentences for the other charges, ensuring that even if parole is granted for the murder conviction, she will remain incarcerated for additional time.
