Criminal Complaint For Zariah Johnson

Case 2024CF003952 Document 2 Filed 08-20-2024 Page 1 of 4
FILED
08-20-2024
Anna Maria Hodges
Clerk of Circuit Court
STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COUNTY
2024CF003952
STATE OF WISCONSIN DA Case No.: 2024ML020752 Honorable Laura Crivello-
36
Plaintiff, Court Case No.:
Branch 36
vs.
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
JOHNSON, ZARIAH A
1714 NORTH 37TH STREET
MILWAUKEE, WI 53208
DOB: 07/10/2002
Defendant(s). For Official Use
THE BELOW NAMED COMPLAINANT BEING DULY SWORN, ON INFORMATION AND BELIEF
STATES THAT:
Count 1: FIRST DEGREE RECKLESS HOMICIDE - PTAC, AS A PARTY TO A CRIME, USE OF A

DANGEROUS WEAPON
The above-named defendant on or about Thursday, August 15, 2024, at 1448 North 39th Street, in the
City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, as a party to a crime, did recklessly cause the death
of ASG, another human being, under circumstances which showed utter disregard for human life,
contrary to sec. 940.02(1), 939.50(3)(b), 939.05, 939.63(1)(b) Wis. Stats.
Upon conviction for this offense, a Class B Felony, the defendant may be sentenced to a term of
imprisonment not to exceed sixty (60) years.
And further, invoking the provisions of sec. 939.63(1)(b) Wis. Stats., because the defendant committed
this offense while using a dangerous weapon, the maximum term of imprisonment for the felony may be
increased by not more than 5 years.
Probable Cause:
Complainant is a Milwaukee County law enforcement officer who bases this complaint on the official
reports of fellow officers. Your complainant has relied on reports of this nature in the past and found
them to be reliable.
SCENE
Det. Martin Saavedra responded to the 1400 block of N. 40th/39th Sts. And Vliet. At that location he was
advised that citizens had gathered and had administered two (2) doses of Narcan to ASG thinking he
was overdosing. Once medical personnel arrived they discovered he had been shot in the back with
the bullet entering his chest cavity.
Five (5) .380 auto casings were located in the area.
STATEMENT EPL
EPL said that ASG (in report referred to as “Eli,” but referred to as ASG for consistency) wanted to steal
a car and that as they walked by the 37th St. School ASG saw the blue/green Hyundai. ASG broke the
window of the car and they heard a female voice from inside saw “mmhmmm!.” And they all ran
Page | 2
northbound on N. 37th St. As they were walking in the 1400 block of N.39th St., City/County Milwaukee,
Wisconsin the same auto drove eastbound in the alley so they hid on the front porch of a house and the
car stopped. The driver was an older female about 27 years old.
The woman fired in the air and they all started running.
The female then “started shooting in their direction and hit dirt by his feet.”
EPL later returned to see if ASG was ok and that ASG was taken to the hospital.
EPL said none of them were armed.
EPL was shown a picture of 1714 N. 37thSt., City/County Milwaukee, Wisconsin and identified the
house they were by as that one.
STATEMENT OF ZARIAH JOHNSON
Detectives James Jordan and Vincent Lopez conducted a Mirandized interview of Zariah A. Johnson
(B/F dob 7/10/02) on August 16, 2024 regarding the above incident. Zaraiah A. Johnson initially
continued to say that a man named “Neff” was the shooter. After Zaraiah A. Johnson was advised that
a witness said the shooter was a female and that her own mother had said she was the shooter,
Zaraiah A. Johnson began to cry and said she did not intend to kill anyone and just wanted to “scare”
them. Zaraiah A. Johnson admitted she was the shooter.
Zaraiah A. Johnson said she was in her residence when she was alerted by her sister JNW that her
(JNW’s) vehicle was being broken into. Zaraiah A. Johnson said she was ale to observes four (4)
individuals near the vehicle and she armed herself with her mother’s black handgun. When she went
outside the subjects observed her and ran away.
Zaraiah A. Johnson claimed she entered the vehicle alone (others including her mother Shontay
Johnson stated that Zaraiah A. Johnson was not alone in the car). She stated she took the gun with
her and began to drive around looking for the people who broke into the car. Initially she did not see
them, but did locate a group of fur (4) people walking. She was not sure if they were the ones who
broke int the car. She circled the block and returned to them and then yelled something to them to get
their attention at which time two (2) of them began to run.
Zaraiah A. Johnson then began to shoot at the subjects that were running and she shot about four (4)
times until her gun jammed. She did not observe actually hitting anyone and the subjects continued to
run.
Zaraiah A. Johnson then drove home and parked the car behind the residence. While at home she
located a Facebook Live stream with the person she shot. The person recording was saying that the
person was overdosing, but then it was discovered that he was shot in the back and was dead. She
then realized that this was in the area she had fired shots and that she likely is the person who killed
him. She then told her mother and left the area with a gun and said that she disposed of the gun in
garbage can in the area of N. 23rd and Keefe. Officers searched that area and did not locate a firearm.
Zaraiah A. Johnson then traveled to her brother’s residence and he told her he did not want to be
involved in this matter after she told him about it. She did park the car in his garage, but he told her she
needed to move it the next day.
Zaraiah A. Johnson said she was only trying to scare the people so they did not come back.
Page | 3
STATEMENT OF SJ
Det. Phillip Ferguson conducted a Mirandized interview of SJ on August 16, 2024 regarding the above
incident.
SJ admitted being in the car at the time of the shooting. SJ said that she was home sleeping when she
was awaken by Zaraiah A. Johnson telling her that someone was breaking into JNW’s a. JNW and
Zaraiah A. Johnson are sisters and SJ is their mother.
SJ said she believed that Zaraiah A. Johnson had already shot at the boys while they were near the car
and that is why they ran away. After that shooting, she and Zaraiah A. Johnson decided to look for the
boys in the neighborhood. SJ said that she entered the front passenger seat of the Hyundai and
Zaraiah A. Johnson entered the driver seat.
SJ said she did not know what the boys looked like and did not see them before the incident.
Some boys were observed but they were “quite a distance away” and “Zariaha began shooting in their
direction.” She did not think anyone got hurt as they all continued to run.
After the shooting incident they drove the vehicle to Zaraiah A. Johnson’s son’s child’s mother’s house
and planned to park it there as the window was broken and they did not want rain getting in it.
SJ said that later Zaraiah A. Johnson left the residence with the gun and when she returned claimed
that she threw the gun down a sewer.
AUTOPSY
ASG was pronounced dead at the hospital at 4:5 PM. An autopsy was performed by Lauren Decker,
M.D. on August 16, 2024. The preliminary autopsy findings are that ASG sustained a penetrating
gunshot wound of the back, from an indeterminate range. The projectile went from right to front with a
path through the liver, heart and right chest.
****End of Complaint****
Electronic Filing Notice:

This case was electronically filed with the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court office. The electronic filing system is
designed to allow for fast, reliable exchange of documents in court cases. Parties who register as electronic parties can file,
receive and view documents online through the court electronic filing website. A document filed electronically has the same
legal effect as a document filed by traditional means. You may also register as an electronic party by following the instructions
found at http://efiling.wicourts.gov/ and may withdraw as an electronic party at any time. There is a $ 20.00 fee to register as
an electronic party. If you are not represented by an attorney and would like to register an electronic party, you will need to
contact the Clerk of Circuit Court office at 414-278-4120. Unless you register as an electronic party, you will be served with
traditional paper documents by other parties and by the court. You must file and serve traditional paper documents.
Criminal Complaint prepared by Patrick J. Anderson.

ADA Assigned Email Address: [email protected]
Page | 4
Subscribed and sworn to before me on 08/20/24 Electronically Signed By:

Electronically Signed By: Det. Casey Donahue
Patrick J. Anderson Complainant
Assistant District Attorney
State Bar #: 1018445

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Case 2024CF003952 Document 2 Filed 08-20-2024 Page 1 of 4

Defendant(s). For Official Use

Count 1: FIRST DEGREE RECKLESS HOMICIDE - PTAC, AS A PARTY TO A CRIME, USE OF A

Five (5) .380 auto casings were located in the area.

EPL said none of them were armed.

STATEMENT OF ZARIAH JOHNSON

Electronic Filing Notice:

Criminal Complaint prepared by Patrick J. Anderson.

Subscribed and sworn to before me on 08/20/24 Electronically Signed By:

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