On the warm summer evening of August 31, 1996, Alaijo Shaune Johnson, a young African American man, was spending time with his girlfriend on the front porch of a residence at 3950 NE Garfield in Portland, Oregon. The couple had been talking for about an hour and a half when, around 11:30 p.m., their conversation was abruptly shattered by a sudden noise from behind them.
Before they could fully react, an unknown individual approached them from the rear and opened fire.
Johnson was struck multiple times. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital. Johnson was a student at Jefferson High School and was about to begin his senior year. Investigators have confirmed that he was not a member of a gang and had no criminal record, although he was known to have friends in both the Crips and Bloods.
The area had experienced a number of gang-related shootings prior to this incident, but Johnson's death left the community and investigators searching for answers. Witnesses who had been sitting on the porch of a vacant duplex across the street scattered after the gunshots rang out, and investigators were unable to locate anyone who admitted to seeing the shooting. However, a neighbor who heard the shots looked out their window and saw a light-skinned African-American male, estimated to be between 14 and 15 years old and standing between 5'5" and 5'8", wearing dark clothing. This individual was seen retrieving a black bicycle and quickly leaving the area.
Despite the witness description, no arrests have been made in the case, and the murder of Alaijo Shaune Johnson remains an unsolved cold case. Law enforcement has continued to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to the identification and arrest of the person or persons responsible.
