On Saturday, July 29, 2023, at 1:51 a.m., a shooting occurred outside the Jade Fox Lounge, 3010 Lakeland Highlands Road. Two officers, working an off-duty detail at the business, were already on the scene when a disturbance erupted in the parking lot, and the shooting occurred. A 25-year-old male with gunshot wounds was transported to the hospital by a personal vehicle. Despite the best efforts of emergency medical professionals, he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. A second victim, a 48-year-old female, was transported by ambulance with critical injuries.
Through the investigation, detectives learned that just before the shooting, a physical altercation had occurred inside the Jade Fox Lounge concerning the cover charge for entry to the event. After the physical altercation, security for the Jade Fox Lounge ordered the patrons to exit the establishment.
The parties who had exited the establishment and other patrons gathered in the parking lot. There, another physical altercation broke out. During the fight, multiple shots were fired, two rounds striking the 25-year-old male and one round striking the 48-year-old female.
Officers observed a female, later identified as Jamilah Johnson, running with a handgun and ordered her to stop. As she fled on foot through the parking lot, she threw her firearm, a .40 caliber Glock 27 handgun, underneath a vehicle while attempting to flee the scene. Johnson was detained, and the gun she was carrying was recovered underneath a vehicle at the scene.
While at the scene, detectives checked Johnson’s criminal history via the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) database, which indicated she was a convicted felon; therefore, Johnson was arrested at the scene for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. (It would be later determined Johnson was not a convicted felon due to pleading to a lesser charge on a previous arrest, which was not yet updated in the database.)
As evidence from the crime scene was processed, it was discovered that two different caliber bullet casings were found at the scene, .40 and 9mm calibers.
On July 30, 2023, detectives were provided with a picture from a person at the scene, which showed Johnson holding a gun pointed to the back of the 25-year-old male just prior to him being shot. On July 31, 2023, in consultation with the State Attorney’s Office, Johnson was charged with Aggravated Battery Using a Deadly Weapon.
In the days following the shooting, detectives were provided with a video from another person at the scene. The video showed that during the altercation, the 25-year-old male raised a firearm and shot the 48-year-old female victim seconds prior to being shot by Johnson. The male victim was then shot twice, which caused his death. The evidence was processed, and the bullet that took the life of the 25-year-old male was matched to Johnson’s firearm. The firearm used by the male subject was not recovered and detectives believe someone at the scene took it with them.
After verifying the evidence collected and in consultation with the State Attorney’s Office (SAO), it was agreed that the facts and circumstances presented by the evidence did not support the criminal charge of homicide against Johnson as she was reacting to the 48-year-old female, a relative of Johnson’s, being shot. The SAO filed criminal charges of Possession of a Concealed Firearm and Tampering with Evidence, and the charges of Aggravated Battery Using a Deadly Weapon and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon were dropped.
As always, it is the practice of the Lakeland Police Department to perform complete and thorough investigations that accurately reflect the appropriate course of action regarding any necessary criminal charges.
