A well-known Black Lives Matter activist is now fighting for her life after she sustained a gunshot wound to her head.
According to her activist group, Taking the Initiative Party, Sasha Johnson was shot Monday morning after receiving "numerous death threats" over the past few days.
The group announced on its Facebook page Monday that the incident happened in south London. The group said Johnson was still alive but was in critical condition.
"It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has sustained a gunshot wound to her head. She is currently hospitalized and in critical condition. The incident happened in the early hours of this morning, following numerous death threats," the group said.
Johnson is a prominent member of the Taking the Initiative Party's Executive Leadership Committee, described as "Britain's first Black-led political party," and a staunch BLM activist. The mother of three helped organize dozens of marches and gatherings across London during the spread of BLM protests last year.
The Oxford Brookes University graduate is described on the TTIP website as immensely passionate about "implementing change and justice" in society. She is described as a leader and role model in the movement to eradicate injustices.
The Labor MP for Leicester East, Claudia Webbe, posted a message on Twitter expressing her shock at the news.
Shocking to hear of the gun shot to the head of Sasha Johnson; All women should be safe on our streets.
Wishing her a full recovery. Sending love and solidarity to her family, friends and loved ones. There are still too many guns and violent weapons damaging too many lives #BLM — Claudia Webbe MP (@ClaudiaWebbe) May 23, 2021
Later in the day, London police issued an appeal to the public for any witnesses to come forward. The police did not mention Johnson's name specifically and only said that it was calling for witnesses related to a shooting of a 27-year-old woman in Peckham, southeast London at around 3 a.m.
Police said the shooting occurred in the vicinity of an ongoing house party. Investigators said they have not yet found evidence to support the claim that it was a targeted attack.
"I recognize that this incident will have shocked those in the local community and further afield. I would ask people to avoid speculating as to the motive or the circumstances behind it," Met's specialist crime command detective, Jimi Tele, said in a statement.
