Parents turn in 5 teens following pedestrian's death on LSD

ByLaura Podesta and Will Jones WLS logo
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Parents turn in 5 teens following pedestrian's death on LSD
Investigators said they are interviewing five "persons of interest" in an attempted armed robbery where a couple was chased onto Lake Shore Drive and hit by a pickup truck.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police officials are interviewing "persons of interest" in an attempted robbery where a couple was chased onto Lake Shore Drive over the weekend, leading to the death of a 32-year-old woman.

Chicago police released surveillance photos earlier this week saying a person in the group pulled a gun on the woman and her boyfriend early Sunday morning. The couple ran away onto Lake Shore Drive, and the driver of a white pickup struck and killed Pamela Johnson.

At least five teens seen in the photos released by police were questioned for several hours Wednesday by detectives. Community activist Andrew Holmes said their parents brought them to police.

"So many cases when you see a picture on there, parents don't want to be bothered. So these parents they did the right thing and come in to clear the record," Holmes said.

But friends of those being questioned by detectives said the group is innocent.

"The young men in the back accused in the back are not gang members. They nice boys, they not gang bangers," said friend Janet Clair.

Another friend said the group did encounter a person with a gun and started running away toward Johnson and her boyfriend. In the chaos, she says, the couple chose to run into the road.

"Everybody was running, not just that one crowd. Everyone was running," said Leshay Dennis.

Investigators are still looking for more people to piece together what led up to Pamela Johnson's death. No one has been charged.

"It is a whole lot of unanswered questions. I am hearing there was another group here and another group there," Holmes said.

Johnson's family, including her young son, said Wednesday morning they just want justice for Johnson.

A vigil for Johnson will be held Thursday night near where she lost her life.