21-Year-Old Jayshawn Malik Johnson Facing Homicide Charges In Shooting Outside Wilkes-Barre Bar That Killed 2, Injured 1
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — A man arrested by federal authorities in Florida has been returned to northeastern Pennsylvania to face charges in a shooting outside a bar that killed two men and wounded a third earlier this year. Jayshawn Malik Johnson, 21, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre on charges including criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault and firearms counts.
Authorities allege that he opened fire outside Bo's on Main Street in Wilkes-Barre shortly before midnight on Jan. 31, killing 32-year-old Damian Thomas and 31-year-old Maurice Chapman and wounding another man.
Surveillance recordings show the gunman firing multiple times as a group of men ran away. Police allege that Johnson was identified as the gunman from surveillance images inside the lounge and outside. He was captured Feb. 20 by federal marshals in Miami.
Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis told reporters outside the courtroom Tuesday afternoon that Johnson knew one of the victims but "we can't talk about a motive" at this point. Salavantis couldn't say how he traveled to Miami but said authorities are trying to determine if anyone will be charged with assisting him.
Johnson was denied bail and sent to the county correctional hearing to await a preliminary hearing set for April 1. He declined comment outside the courtroom; court documents don't list a defense attorney who could comment on the charges.
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