A black equal rights activist is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head in south London yesterday.
Police are interesting for info after Sasha Johnson, 27, was discovered with life-threatening accidents in Southwark at about 3am on Sunday morning.
In a press release on its Facebook web page, the Taking The Initiative Party, a brand new political group she was a part of, mentioned: “It is with nice disappointment that we inform you that our personal Sasha Johnson has sustained a gunshot wound to her head.
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Ms Johnson is a mom of three who graduated from Oxford Brookes University. Pic: Facebook/Taking The Initiative
“Sasha has at all times been actively preventing for black individuals and the injustices that encompass the black neighborhood, in addition to being each a member of BLM and a member of Taking the Initiative Party’s government management committee.
“Sasha can be a mom of three and a robust, highly effective voice for our individuals and our neighborhood.
“Let’s all come collectively and pray for Sasha, pray for her restoration and present our assist to her household and family members.”
Ms Johnson has efficiently undergone surgical procedure, however she stays in hospital along with her mother and father by her facet, a good friend informed BBC News.
Imarn Ayton mentioned Ms Johnson is believed to have been a celebration at the time of the incident, and {that a} “rival gang” might need “heard about somebody being in that get together that they did not really feel fairly comfy with or trusted, and they also resorted to driving previous and capturing into the backyard”.
“One of these pictures clearly hit Sasha Johnson,” they mentioned, however that she was seemingly not “the meant sufferer”.
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Ms Johnson was at the Million People March in London in August 2020. Pic: Thabo Jaiyesimi/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command (Trident) are “pursuing various precedence traces of enquiry” – however no arrests have been made but.
Police mentioned the capturing had occurred “in the neighborhood of a home the place a celebration was happening”, and various individuals might have been in the space at the time.
“While the investigation is at an early stage, there may be nothing to counsel that the lady who was shot was the topic of a focused assault or that she had acquired any credible threats towards her previous to this incident,” officers mentioned.
Detective Chief Inspector Jimi Tele mentioned: “This was a stunning incident that has left a younger lady with very critical accidents. Our ideas are along with her household who’re being supplied with assist at this terribly tough time.
“A devoted crew of detectives is working tirelessly to establish the individual or individuals chargeable for this capturing. They are making good progress however they want the public’s assist.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan mentioned his “ideas and prayers” had been with Ms Johnson and her household, and urged anybody with info to come back ahead.
He informed Sky News: “It’s actually vital that we give the medics the time to deal with her, but in addition the police the time to analyze this very, very critical capturing
“The police are doing what they’ll to get to the backside of this. If anybody is aware of something, something in any respect, please do contact the police. You can achieve this anonymously utilizing the Crimestoppers quantity (at the backside of this text).
“It’s actually vital that these accountable are caught and justice occurs.”
Last August, Ms Johnson was one in all the organisers of the first-ever Million People March to protest towards systemic racism in the UK. During the demonstration, a whole bunch of individuals took to the streets of west London.
She mentioned she hoped the motion would “empower the neighborhood to attempt for higher”.
“As a individuals, we’re not going to cease till we have now equal rights and justice,” she mentioned.
“Our message is hearken to us, hear our phrases, we wish sustainable and tangible change.
“We do not simply need tokenistic guarantees, we do not need it to come back from a hegemonic standpoint. We need it to be for the individuals.”
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Ms Johnson is in a critical condition in hospital
Black Lives Matter UK mentioned on Twitter: “While Sasha wasn’t a part of our organisation, she impressively based a brand new black-led political get together and was devoted to withstand anti-black racism.
“Any try and intimidate or silence her, is an assault on all of us. Touch one, contact all.
“We pray that she is going to pull by way of this and people who threatened her life are held accountable.
“Our ideas are along with her youngsters, household, and all impacted by this mindless assault.”
BLM UK says a vigil might be held on Monday.
The Taking the Initiative Party is a political get together that was registered with the Electoral Commission practically 4 years in the past and fielded its first candidates in May’s native elections.
Ms Johnson, who obtained a primary in social care at Oxford college, has “an immense ardour for implementing change and justice and has been actively supporting the eradication of injustices in society by attending and main protests”, in keeping with her web page on the TTIP web site.
“Although not everybody might agree along with her strategies, she just isn’t afraid to face up for what she believes in.
“She can be dedicated to feeding the homeless and has personally been concerned in delivering meals and groceries to households which might be in want.”
Anybody with info ought to name police on 101, tweet @MetCC offering the reference CAD1172/23MAY, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
