Reunion's tragic end
SHOOTING: Victims were 'unintended targets'
| Monday, Jul 06 2009 10:44 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Jul 07 2009 01:25 PM
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Felix Adamo / The Californian Willie Johnson and his daughter, twelve year old Kamarielle King recall the shooting early Sunday at a family reunnion that left their brother and uncle, Anthony Johnson, dead.
Felix Adamo / The Californian Anthony Johnson was gunned down while attending a family reunion in central Bakersfield. Johnson died from his injuries and four others were injured in the early Sunday shooting.
The family reunion -- nearly 100 strong, from small children to grandparents -- had been going on all day at the central Bakersfield home.
Around 12:30 a.m. Sunday, about 50 members of the Johnson family remained in the neat front yard on T Street, talking, reminiscing and joking when shots suddenly rang out from across the street.
"It's still a blur to me," said 38-year-old Willie S. Johnson, who was right next to his younger brother, Anthony Mack Johnson, as he was killed by the bullets.
Four others were wounded.
"I don't remember too much except being with my brother on the ground while he was bleeding. You can't understand the shock."
Police had no motive for the shooting. All the victims were "unintended targets," Bakersfield police spokeswoman Mary DeGeare said Monday. Four of the five were from out of town. Anthony Johnson, 37, was from Jacksonville, Texas.
"One minute we were all standing around talking, having a good time," recalled Willie Johnson. "The next minute everyone's lives changed for the worse."
He added, "The young kids who did this thing, their lives are gone too. This has to stop. You don't shoot up a family reunion."
It was family who was shot. Anthony's wife, Chrystin, 35, was shot in the leg. She was busy Monday making funeral arrangements.
Lavar Johnson, 32, of Madera, -- a cousin of the dead victim -- was shot in the abdomen. He was in good condition after two surgeries, his brother, Damon Johnson, said.
Lavar Johnson is a mixed martial arts and kickboxing fighter of some renown, having compiled a record of 12 wins, 3 losses in the last five years, according to fighting Web sites.
Others shot were Cynthia Mackey, 46, of Bakersfield, who sustained a minor wound to her hand; and Larry Dellouette, 62, of Los Angeles, who was hit in the foot.
Police are saying little about the suspects except they are two young, black males and a young black female, possibly in their late teens.
Police are not ruling out that the shooter or shooters were gang members. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 327-7111 or Detective Martin Heredia at 326-3873.
Anthony and Willie Johnson were raised by their father, Willie Lee Johnson, to be responsible men. In his world, he spends time with his children playing ball and going fishing, not leaving them to fend for themselves.
"I don't condone or associate myself with any type of violence," the 61-year-old father said.
Both his sons have jobs and families. Anthony, a truck driver, leaves behind his wife, twin 9-year-old daughters and a 17-year-old son.
The younger Willie Johnson said his brother was a philosopher. "He tried to make sense of things."
His brother would believe the suspects had a different kind of upbringing, he said, which made this violence possible.
