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Man Allegedly Shoots 2-Year-Old Boy In Road Rage Incident Described As 'Cowardly, Evil Act'
Javon Johnson, 33, has been charged with attempted murder for the alleged shooting in Baltimore.
The shooting of a 2-year-old boy in Baltimore over the weekend was allegedly an act of road rage and prompted the police commissioner to make an emotional demand for the suspected triggerman to surrender.
On Monday police announced an arrest in the case.
Javon Johnson, 33, was brought into custody and charged with attempted murder, assault and weapons charges.
The bust comes days after Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison made an impassioned plea to track down whoever was responsible for what he called a “cowardly, violent act.”
“Whoever you are, turn yourself in. You shot a child. Whoever you thought you were shooting at, you didn’t shoot,” he said during an emotional press conference Saturday. “You shot a 2-year-old."
Harrison added that there was a $15,000 reward for information leading to the shooter’s arrest.
It’s unclear how Johnson was caught and Baltimore police refused to offer specifics of the arrest when reached by Oxygen.com.
The child remains in stable condition after being admitted to a local hospital.
The toddler was Saturday's 15th shooting victim, marking Oct. 12 as one of the most violent days in Baltimore since 2012, according to The Baltimore Sun.
It's believed that the shooting was spurred by an act of road rage, according to a police statement.
Harrison described how the boy was seated in a car that was stopped behind other vehicles at a red light at around 12:30 a.m.
As the streetlight switched from red to green, the cars stayed put.
“None of the vehicles moved from the intersection,” Harrison said.
The driver of the car carrying the boy and some other relatives blew the horn “several times” to prompt the cars to drive forward.
“But none of the cars moved through the green light,” Harrison continued.
The driver then wheeled around the gridlock and turned the corner.
Johnson was driving a silver or grey Mazda MPV and eventually decided to pursue the honking car, according to police. Once he caught up to it near West Franklin Street, he allegedly drew a gun and “fired from his vehicle” striking the child.
When authorities arrived at the scene, the young victim had already been taken to an area hospital where he was being treated as a “walk-in” for a gunshot wound to his stomach, according to Harrison.
Johnson is due back in court for a preliminary hearing to be held on Nov. 7, court records show.
