Jahaan Harris was a 25-year-old Black man remembered by those who knew him as a kind, sweet, and respectful person with a relaxed, joking personality. A former teacher and support services professional, he was described on a memorial page as a "super good kid" and a "true gentleman."
In the early morning hours of June 14, 2024, Harris was walking with his brother and some friends near the Amberly Square Apartments on Brandy Drive in Columbus, Ohio.
At approximately 1:40 a.m., a second group of people began following them through the complex. In what police described as a coordinated ambush, the second group opened fire on Harris and his friends. As he tried to run away, Harris was struck by gunfire in the upper back.
Harris collapsed on Noe Bixby Road and was later found at a nearby gas station. First responders transported him to Mount Carmel East Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:31 a.m. The investigation that followed confirmed that Harris and the friends he was with were unarmed and had not been involved in any criminal activity; detectives concluded they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Columbus Division of Police investigation led to the arrests of four individuals over the next month. Danielle Hardy, 35, was arrested on June 20 and charged with murder and felonious assault. The next day, authorities arrested 28-year-old D'Angelo Gravely on similar charges. On June 27, 26-year-old Caleb Johnson was apprehended in Chillicothe following a SWAT operation. The fourth suspect, 29-year-old Chaz Cooley-Ward, was taken into custody on July 16.
In November 2025, a Franklin County jury convicted Caleb Johnson on 11 counts, including two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, and four counts of felonious assault. Evidence presented at trial included surveillance footage of the attack and a rifle found at Johnson's property that matched shell casings from the scene.
The following month, in December 2025, a judge sentenced Johnson to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. His co-defendants were also sentenced for their roles in the deadly ambush. Chaz Cooley-Ward received a sentence of 20 to 25 years, Danielle Hardy received 5 to 7 years, and D'Angelo Gravely was sentenced to a term of 4 to 5.5 years.
