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A teenager set off on a drive to pick up his girlfriend. He was shot dead in a suspected road rage attack

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Cody Johnson’s death is being investigated as a possible road rage attack

Madeline Sherratt
Tuesday 01 October 2024 13:08 BST
Parents demand justice after teen found shot in car on busy Texas highway

A teenager was found shot dead in his car on a busy freeway in Texas, after he set off to pick up his girlfriend from work.

Cody Johnson, 19, was killed on Friday night while driving along the Katy Freeway, near Highway 99, in Katy, Texas, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The Independent.

Officers were called to reports that a 2011 Black Camaro with gold rims was seen rolling down the busy road.

Arriving on the scene at around 8pm, officers found Johnson “unresponsive from apparent gunshot wounds”, the sheriff’s office said.

The teenager was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the teen’s death is being investigated as a possible road rage attack. No suspects have been identified.

Family members told Fox26 Houston that Johnson had been on his way to see his girlfriend that night.

They appealed for help in finding out what happened to him.

Cody Johnson, 19, was shot dead in Katy, Texas on Friday night
Cody Johnson, 19, was shot dead in Katy, Texas on Friday night (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)

Johnson’s father Mike Johnson told ABC13: “If you’re strong enough to pull the trigger, you’re strong enough to stand up and say, ‘you know what, I made a mistake’. Nobody values life.

“It happened, people saw it, it’s I-10. It’s busy, and here we are with nothing, and he had to roll there. He was 200 yards away from the Memorial Hermann Helicopter pad in Katy and nobody stopped until police found him.”

Teenager Cody Johnson (pictured) had set off to pick up his girlfriend, family said
Teenager Cody Johnson (pictured) had set off to pick up his girlfriend, family said (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)

Johnson’s mother Amy Juneau told the outlet: “I beg you as a mom, just, if this was your baby, you would want answers. If this was any family friend, we just want answers – we just want justice for Cody.”

Johnson had a passion for motorcycles and cars, she said, adding that he had only just recovered from a serious motorcycle crash in the summer and was “beginning to get his life on track.”

Incident unfolded along Katy Freeway (pictured)
Incident unfolded along Katy Freeway (pictured) (Google Maps)

The teenager, who lived in Missouri City, graduated from Ridge Point High School in the spring and was days away from starting a new job, Johnson’s family told Click2Houston.

Police are urging anyone with information to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The Independent has contacted Harris County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

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