Shooting Suspect Arrested
$2 Million Bail
Shawn R. S Dot Johnson
By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Law enforcement officials arrested 19-year-old Shawn R. Johnson this week in connection with the Oct. 18 shooting death of Tylik Pugh, an 18-year-old student at Asbury Park High School.
Police put out an arrest warrant for Johnson last week. He was arrested Oct. 24 at 7 a.m. at a residence in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was found hiding under a bed.
Johnson is also known by his nickname “S Dot.”
At the same time they arrested Julyssa Miles of Asbury Park, who was charged with hindering Johnson’s apprehension, a third degree crime.
According to county prosecutor Luis Valentin, Miles, who was involved in a relationship with Johnson, helped him avoid being caught by police.
She faces a maximum of five years in prison.
The shooting took place October 18, at 11:20 a.m. near the corner of Summerfield and Prospect Avenues.
Asbury Park Police Chief Mark Kinmon said he was satisfied with the outcome.
Law enforcement was very dedicated and worked extremely hard to bring the investigation to a successful conclusion and the community was a vital part, he said.
Three law enforcement agencies, the Asbury Park Police Department, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the United States Marshal Service’s Pennsylvania Western Task Force, were involved in the arrest, which occurred without incident.
Police learned from information they received on October 23 that Johnson was at the Pittsburgh residence.
Johnson’s bail was set at $2 million by Judge Paul F. Chaiet.
Johnson faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and will not be eligible for parole for 30 years. He also faces up to 10 years in jail for weapons violations.
City Councilman Ed Johnson, who has worked to stem gang violence in the city, said, “This will send a chilling message to those involved in these kinds of activities. I applaud the efforts of our law enforcement professionals in their thorough investigation and swift apprehension of the suspect who committed this horrendous crime against our community. I am equally thankful for the overwhelming reaction of our community, which stood up to declare that we will not surrender our community, or our children, to the dead-end lifestyle of crime.”
Local officials have implemented new security measures to ensure students safety at school, including stationing police officers in the middle and high schools indefinitely, said Garrett Giberson, Fire Department publicist, who is also vice-president of the Board of Education.
Giberson also said security wands, which work like metal detectors, have been purchased but personnel need to be trained in their use before they are implemented.
Councilman Johnson said the community has to be more proactive in preventing these tragic events through coordinated efforts of law enforcement, religious and community-based watch groups and workforce development programs.
“Together the Asbury Park community is sending a strong message that these crimes against the community will not be tolerated. Individuals who engage in such activities will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said the councilman. You can run, but cannot hide….not even under a bed.”
Anyone with information about the shooting can contact Det. Brian Townsend of the Asbury Park Police Department at (732)774-1300, or Det. Ryan Muller of the prosecutor’s office at 1(800)-533-7443.
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