In the early morning hours of August 16, 2024, a chaotic scene unfolded behind a downtown Jamestown bar that ended in the death of 25-year-old Corey Johnson. Johnson, a male from Buffalo, sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head during an altercation in the area behind the Wine Cellar on North Main Street. He was rushed to UPMC Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he died a short time later.
The Jamestown Police Department launched a thorough investigation into the
shooting, which they believed to be a targeted incident. Investigators processed the scene with the assistance of the Chautauqua County Forensics Investigation Team, recovering physical evidence including a defaced 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Multiple surveillance videos capturing the event from different angles were obtained, and numerous witnesses were interviewed to piece together the sequence of events that led to Johnson's death. In the course of their investigation, police identified Jermaine Holloman as a person of interest and sought the public's help in locating him.
Despite the initial belief that the shooting was a targeted homicide, the investigation took a significant turn. After a careful review of all the evidence, including the surveillance footage and witness statements, the Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office announced in November 2025 that no criminal charges would be filed in connection with Johnson's death. District Attorney Jason Schmidt stated that the evidence showed Johnson was the first to introduce a deadly weapon into the altercation. According to Schmidt, Johnson produced a handgun and chased another individual, attempting to shoot them. A physical struggle ensued, during which Johnson was fatally shot with his own handgun. The District Attorney concluded that under New York's self-defense law, the actions of the other individual were justified, providing an absolute defense against a homicide charge.
