Flowers, Candles for a Father-to-Be

Family and friends gathered Thursday in front of a makeshift memorial of flowers and candles marking the spot where Dante Johnson was shot in the forehead while walking to work.

Johnson, 23, was remembered as a caring and devoted father-to-be who was working hard as a barber to give his future son a better life.

“He was so excited and always talked about his son,” said Dante’s mother, Cathy. “He wanted to work hard for his family and give them a better future.”

On Wednesday afternoon, police arrested a 16-year-old and 17-year-old they believe shot the victim on Jackson Way. Police said they also recovered the vehicle used to flee the scene and a 9-mm handgun used in the shooting.

The motive remains unclear, but it could have been an insignificant as a look, Lt. Mike Schwartz said.

“Two groups were eyeing each other” before the shooting, Schwartz said. “The shooting does not appear to be gang-related.”

Raised in Los Angeles, Johnson considered studying criminal law until he dropped out of college because he couldn’t afford tuition. He turned to cutting hair, a practice he enjoyed since a youth, his mother said.

“I bought him his first pair of clippers at the age of 13 because he didn’t like the way I was cutting his hair,” she said. “Soon enough he was cutting the hair of other kids in the neighborhood.”

Johnson was walking to work when killed.

“He was a great barber; he had a big following,” said Julie Johnson, owner of the shop.

Recently, Dante Johnson was looking forward to becoming a father. His son is expected to be born in the next few weeks.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Aug. 8 at Friendship Baptist Church, at 17145 E. Bastanchury Road.