British Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson is in critical condition after being shot in the head in south London, her political party, Taking the Initiative, said in a Facebook post on Sunday. According to police, the 27-year-old mom of three was shot shortly before 3 am at a gathering in Southwark.
The party said that the attack happened "following numerous death threats as a result of her activism." Cops initially didn't identify Johnson but only said that a 27-year-old woman was left fighting for her life after a shooting in Peckham, London in the early hours of Sunday. No arrests have been made yet in the case.
Death Threats Almost Come True
Johnson was found on the street after police were called to reports of gunshots shortly before 3 am on Sunday. According to police, she was immediately rushed to a south London hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police have appealed for witnesses and also informed her family almost immediately. Police said the shooting happened near a house where a party was taking place, and at this stage there was still no evidence to suggest it was a targeted shooting or that she had received any credible threats against her prior to the incident.
"It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has been brutally attacked and sustained a gunshot wound to her head," the party said in a statement.
"She is currently in intensive care and in a critical condition. The attack happened in the early hours of this morning, following numerous death threats as a result of her activism," the statement further read.
Although, police isn't yet convinced, the party feels that it was a targeted shooting given that Johnson received numerous death threats in the past few months due to her activism.
"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. Sasha is also a mother of 3 and a strong, powerful voice for our people and our community."
Activism Spills Danger
Johnson is a prominent member of Taking the Initiative Party, which has been described as "Britain's first Black-led political party". She rose to prominence after last year's BLM protests spread around the country, helping organize marches and addressing crowds.
The self-styled "Black Panther of Oxford", had previously also called for people accused of racism to be put on a sex offenders-style "race offenders register".
Prior to that she was a youth worker and also owns a café. She serves on the party's executive committee as the member in charge of activism. Johnson has been an activist since an early age and her education background too speaks a lot about her passion and ideologies.
She worked in activism and community support and achieved a first-class degree in social care at Oxford Brookes University. Her page on the TTIP website reads: "She has an immense passion for implementing change and justice and has been actively supporting the eradication of injustices in society by attending and leading protests."
Police is launched an investigation but is yet to make any arrests. "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," Detective Chief Inspector Jimi Tele said.
Detectives are also looking to speak with anyone who was at the party in the Consort Road area of London on the day of the incident. "A dedicated team of detectives is working tirelessly to identify the person or persons responsible for this shooting," Tele said, adding that "they need the public's help," and urged people to come forward if they witnessed or had heard information about the incident.
