limefree
"SIN MIEDO"
Metro News
Student shot dead in B.R. dorm
Killing at Southern under investigation
03/11/02
From Times-Picayune staff reports
BATON ROUGE -- A second-semester freshman was shot and killed in the dormitory room he had recently moved to, and police said they had no suspects or possible motives.
Maximilian Johnson, 19, of Breaux Bridge was dead when paramedics and police arrived at the Southern University dormitory room Saturday about 1 a.m.
A 9 mm bullet, shot by someone else at fairly close range, went through his heart and he bled to death, East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Louis Cataldie said after an autopsy Sunday.
He said the body was released Sunday to Johnson's father, Robert Johnson of Dickinson, Texas.
Robbery is a possible motive, but investigators have not learned whether anything is missing from the room, Southern University Police Chief Dale Flowers said Saturday.
He did not return a call Sunday.
Investigators found a small amount of marijuana in the room but did not know whether it was Johnson's and do not think the crime was drug related, he said.
Johnson's roommate was not home and is not a suspect, Flowers said.
Johnson wanted to become a lawyer. He was on academic scholarship and kept more than a 3.0 grade-point average.
He had moved into Room 204 of Moore Hall three weeks ago, switching rooms with the room original resident without the university's permission, said Betty Adams, director of the dormitory.
Police are investigating whether the killer mistook Johnson for the original resident but don't consider the possibility a lead, Flowers said.
Because he had just moved in, most residents of the hall did not know Johnson well.
As they sat outside of their dorm room Saturday afternoon, two doors from Johnson's police-taped room, Sherrod Wilson and Daniel Reed said they went out with him a couple times.
"He used to hang outside his door like what we're doing here," they said, sitting in the dorm's outdoor breezeway with light music coming from their room. "He didn't mess with anybody."
Wilson said he only saw Johnson with his roommate, whose name police will not release, or some female students.
Students in the dormitory said they did not hear the shooting, and most learned about it when police cars arrived.
"For something like that to happen and for no one to see anything, that's what scares me," said Kendel Harris, a senior who lives on the same floor as Maximilian Johnson. "That's not what you come to college for."
Adams said the dormitory is usually very safe, and university police effectively protect students from people who may come onto the campus.
Robert Johnson said he is unconvinced.
"I just don't know how easy it is to bring a firearm onto this campus," he said. "We try to send our children away for an education, not this."
That is a shame. This sounds like a mistaken identity. Prayers go out to the family.
Student shot dead in B.R. dorm
Killing at Southern under investigation
03/11/02
From Times-Picayune staff reports
BATON ROUGE -- A second-semester freshman was shot and killed in the dormitory room he had recently moved to, and police said they had no suspects or possible motives.
Maximilian Johnson, 19, of Breaux Bridge was dead when paramedics and police arrived at the Southern University dormitory room Saturday about 1 a.m.
A 9 mm bullet, shot by someone else at fairly close range, went through his heart and he bled to death, East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Louis Cataldie said after an autopsy Sunday.
He said the body was released Sunday to Johnson's father, Robert Johnson of Dickinson, Texas.
Robbery is a possible motive, but investigators have not learned whether anything is missing from the room, Southern University Police Chief Dale Flowers said Saturday.
He did not return a call Sunday.
Investigators found a small amount of marijuana in the room but did not know whether it was Johnson's and do not think the crime was drug related, he said.
Johnson's roommate was not home and is not a suspect, Flowers said.
Johnson wanted to become a lawyer. He was on academic scholarship and kept more than a 3.0 grade-point average.
He had moved into Room 204 of Moore Hall three weeks ago, switching rooms with the room original resident without the university's permission, said Betty Adams, director of the dormitory.
Police are investigating whether the killer mistook Johnson for the original resident but don't consider the possibility a lead, Flowers said.
Because he had just moved in, most residents of the hall did not know Johnson well.
As they sat outside of their dorm room Saturday afternoon, two doors from Johnson's police-taped room, Sherrod Wilson and Daniel Reed said they went out with him a couple times.
"He used to hang outside his door like what we're doing here," they said, sitting in the dorm's outdoor breezeway with light music coming from their room. "He didn't mess with anybody."
Wilson said he only saw Johnson with his roommate, whose name police will not release, or some female students.
Students in the dormitory said they did not hear the shooting, and most learned about it when police cars arrived.
"For something like that to happen and for no one to see anything, that's what scares me," said Kendel Harris, a senior who lives on the same floor as Maximilian Johnson. "That's not what you come to college for."
Adams said the dormitory is usually very safe, and university police effectively protect students from people who may come onto the campus.
Robert Johnson said he is unconvinced.
"I just don't know how easy it is to bring a firearm onto this campus," he said. "We try to send our children away for an education, not this."
That is a shame. This sounds like a mistaken identity. Prayers go out to the family.
