British Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson is in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head on Sunday, according to Taking The Initiative, the political party Johnson is affiliated with.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has sustained a gunshot wound to her head,” the group wrote on Facebook. “She is currently hospitalised and in a critical condition. The incident happened in the early hours of this morning, following numerous death threats.”
The incident occurred in the London borough of Southwark, where Metropolitan Police responded to reports of gunfire around 3:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, CNN reports.
“Sasha has always been actively fighting for black people and the injustices that surround the black community, as well as being both a member of BLM and a member of Taking the Initiative Party’s Executive Leadership Committee,” the post continued. “Sasha is also a mother of 3 and a strong, powerful voice for our people and our community. Let’s all come together and pray for Sasha, pray for her recovery and show our support to her family and loved ones.”
Police also said in a statement that the shooting took place near a house party and they do not believe Johnson was the intended target since there have been no “credible threats against her prior to this incident.”
So far, no arrests have been made, but detectives from the Met’s specialist crime command, Trident, are working to identify the suspect[s].
“A dedicated team of detectives is working tirelessly to identify the person or persons responsible for this shooting,” Detective Chief Inspector Jim Tele said.
“This was a shocking incident that has left a young woman with very serious injuries. Our thoughts are with her family who are being provided with support at this terribly difficult time,” he said, according to The Guardian.
Johnson sits on the Executive Leadership Committee for Taking The Initiative, a Black-led political party focused on “empowerment, justice and equality for all.”
According to the group’s website, Johnson is an Oxford graduate with a degree in social care.
Black Lives Matter UK showed their support for the 27-year-old, who they say was “dedicated to resist anti-Black racism,” after helping to organize protests and marches in the summer of 2020.
“BLMUK expresses our shock and solidarity over the shooting of Sasha Johnson,” the organization wrote on Twitter. “A young mother and fearless political campaigner who was at the forefront of many BLM protests last summer.”
After hearing the news of Johnson’s shooting, members of the British Parliament also spoke out to stand in solidarity with Johnson.
“Black activist #SashaJohnson in hospital in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head,” Hackney North and Stowe Newington Member of Parliament, Diane Abbott said in a tweet. “Nobody should have to potentially pay with their life because they stood up for racial justice #BlackLivesMatter.”
Source: British BLM Activist Sasha Johnson Shot In The Head In London
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