No charges in killing of ex-basketball star accused of road rage, PA officials say
The Lehigh County District Attorney's Office said July 21 that no charges would be filed in the July 6 shooting death of Tamir Johnson, a former standout for the Division II Kutztown University basketball program.
Johnson, 35, was driving an Audi in Allentown on July 6 when investigators said he overtook the driver of a Prius, then forced the Prius to the curb.
Prosecutors said Johnson got out of his car and approached the other driver with a metal bat, then used it to strike the driver's side door.
The driver of the Prius, who was legally allowed to carry a gun, shot Johnson, who then dropped the bat, the district attorney's office said.
Johnson was taken to a hospital and died from his injuries, prosecutors said. The Prius driver was not publicly identified because no charges were filed.
'Pennsylvania law states in relevant part that the use of deadly force is justified under certain extreme circumstances,' officials said. 'Deadly force is justified when a person reasonably believes such force is immediately necessary to protect himself against death or serious bodily injury when the person against whom the force is used displays or uses a weapon that is readily or apparently capable of lethal use.'
Because Johnson swung the bat with lethal force, prosecutors said the Prius driver was justified under the state's Stand Your Ground law.
The Prius driver remained at the scene following the incident and cooperated in the investigation.
Johnson played for Kutztown University from 2009 to 2011 and is among the program's all-time leaders in field-goal percentage.
'Tamir was a stalwart leader and quiet giant,' the program said in a July 6 post on Facebook. 'We will miss his positive impact on us and his wonderful smile.'
He had plans to return to the university to pursue a master's degree, his family said in a statement to the district attorney's office.
'Johnson was so much more than a moment of conflict,' his family said in a statement. 'He was the father of three beautiful children, a devoted partner, a son, a brother, a nephew and a loyal friend.'
Allentown is about a 65-mile drive northwest from Philadelphia.
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