CLAYTON, Mo. – The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis says it has charged a second shooter in the shocking early morning Clayton homicide from last month.
The shooting happened near the busy intersection of Hanley Road and Wydown Boulevard. Neighbors said Tuesday they were relieved to know that police have at least identified a second suspect and hope it gets the family one step closer to finding justice.
The major case squad announced Tuesday that they’ve charged Darrion Johnson, 18, with second-degree murder for killing Clayton resident Joshua Harris, 41, on Nov. 13. The shooting marked Clayton’s first homicide in nearly two decades.
It’s a tragedy that still has some residents shaken up. Li Zhang, who lives right off of Wydown Boulevard, said a shooting happening in that particular area of Clayton was especially concerning.
“A lot of people go running in the mornings, and when we heard about that, we felt it was really scary,” Zhang said.
Zhang’s friend and neighbor, Lihua Yu, also lives off of Wydown. The two moved to Clayton from China years ago and said they love living in Clayton. They also said they are relieved to hear police have identified a second suspect.
“When we heard this news, I felt like, ‘Oh my God, that is great news,’” Yu said. “Because this is a relatively safe place, and now I feel safer.”
Eleanor Sudduth walks her dog down Wydown twice a day. She commends the police for their efforts in quickly identifying two suspects. Despite the scary incident, Sudduth said she still feels safe walking and living in the area.
“The day that it happened, I was a little bit spooked to be walking around in the dark, just because it was so sudden and surprising,” Sudduth said. “But honestly, there’s always people walking around, lots of streetlights and everything. So, I don’t really feel any less safe.”
Yu said she hopes these new charges and another potential arrest in the case will help close the book on a dark chapter off Wydown.
“This is a great neighborhood, and we want all the people to work together to make our home here in Clayton be a better and safer place for all of us,” Yu said.
The other suspect in the case, Trenell Johnson, is being held on the same charges on a $500,000 cash-only bond. If convicted, both men could face life in prison.
