On the quiet Sunday night of October 7, 2018, in a Southeast Portland neighborhood, the life of Izryl Tajae Johnson, a 21-year-old Black male, was violently extinguished. Gunshots shattered the late-night calm near the 4000 block of Southeast 94th Avenue, prompting multiple calls to 911 just before 11:45 p.m. Neighbors reported hearing the gunfire, with one recalling the terrifying sound of a man screaming for help in the street.
When Portland Police Bureau officers arrived, they
discovered Johnson in the street with gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate medical aid provided by the officers and the subsequent arrival of emergency responders, his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Oregon Medical Examiner's office later officially ruled his death a homicide as a result of the shooting.
In the days that followed, the investigation into Johnson's murder began, but details were scarce. Detectives from the Homicide Detail canvassed the area, which is near the Southeast Holgate Boulevard MAX Station, searching for witnesses and any information that could lead to a suspect. The police publicly appealed for anyone with information to come forward, specifically mentioning the nearby I-205 multi-use path as a potential route for someone who may have seen or heard something crucial.
Despite the initial investigation and the passage of time, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the murder of Izryl Johnson. The case has grown cold, leaving his family and the community without answers or a sense of justice for the young life that was taken. The Portland Police Bureau has not released any further updates on the status of the investigation.
