Baltimore road rage suspect charged with shooting two-year-old boy

Earlier today, the Baltimore Police Department shared that 33-year old Javon Johnson was arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault, and various handgun related crimes. He is currently being held at the Central Booking and Intake Facility.

Johnson was arrested for shooting a two-year old boy in the stomach in an incident that occurred on October 12.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison characterized the shooting as a “cowardly, violent act.”  ABC News in Baltimore quoted the Commissioner as saying, “You shot a child. Whoever you thought you were shooting at, you didn’t shoot.”

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on October 12, officers responded to the 600 block of W. Franklin Street for a ShotSpotter (*) alert. A short time later, officers were called to an area hospital for a report of a walk-in shooting victim. When officers arrived, they found a two-year old boy being treated for a gunshot wound to his stomach.

Investigators believe the victim was riding in a car with several family members when he was shot.

The motive for the shooting was road rage.

Johnson was arrested as a person of interest Sunday afternoon, after police called out for a $15,000 reward for any information on a suspect vehicle, a gray or silver Mazda MPV minivan. ~ CBS Baltimore

During the course of their investigation, detectives from the Central District in Baltimore City identified Javon Johnson as the shooter. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was formally charged on October 14.

As of this writing, the two-year-old shooting victim is still hospitalized in a guarded but somewhat stable condition and is expected to survive the ordeal.

(*) The ShotSpotter technology employs a system that pushes an alert notification to law enforcement and emergency responders. Incident notifications are triggered when an incident is confirmed as gunfire. Gunfire alerts are pushed to ShotSpotter mobile apps, and desktop and browser apps.

(Source: Baltimore Police Department)