Fellow activists claim "Black Panther of Oxford" was shot because of her activism against 'white supremacy'.
Sasha Johnson, 27, was shot in the head whilst attending a party in Peckham, South East London, on Saturday night. Johnson underwent surgery at hospital and is said to still be in a critical condition. The political party that Johnson helped form (Taking the Initiative Party (TTIP)) claim she was "gunned down after receiving numerous death threats as a result of her activism".
In a statement on Instagram, the party said Ms Johnson was a mother of two and a "powerful voice" who had always been fighting for black people and against the injustices that surround the black community. "Let's all come together and pray for Sasha, pray for her recovery and show our support to her family and loved ones," it said.
Black Lives Matters UK tweeted it was shocked by the shooting of "a young mother and fearless political campaigner who was at the forefront of many BLM protests last summer".
It said that while she was not part of their own organisation,"she impressively founded a new Black-led political party and was dedicated to resist anti-Black racism". Announcing that a vigil would be held for her on Monday afternoon at King's College Hospital, it added: "Any attempt to intimidate or silence her, is an attack on all of us."
However, Imarn Ayton, a friend of Johnson's, told reporters that the shooting was Gang related, telling the BBC "There was a rival gang that may have heard about someone being in that party that they didn't feel quite comfortable with or trusted and so they resorted to driving past and shooting into the garden, and one of those shots obviously hit Sasha Johnson. But I don't believe she was the intended victim."
Ayton went on to say: "As far as I am aware... this incident is more related to rival gangs as opposed to her activism,"
Police have also said that there is no evidence that the shooting was anything to do with Johnson's activism and she was unlikely to be the intended victim.
The police, who Johnson had repeatedly called racist, like the KKK and to be defunded are now investigating the incident having said: there is no evidence that the shooting was anything to do with Johnson's activism and she was unlikely to be the intended victim. The shots were fired from the street into the house in Packham, probably by a rival black gang in an ongoing turf war related to postcodes or drugs.
oh the irony.