Milwaukee, WI – A 23-year-old woman, Zariah Johnson, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison plus 15 years of extended supervision for the shooting death of 14-year-old Alijah Golden-Richmond last year. Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide in July 2025.
Fatal Shooting Followed Alleged Vehicle Break-In
The shooting occurred on August 15, 2024, near 39th and Vliet streets in Milwaukee. Johnson reportedly learned that her sister’s car was being broken into while she was at home with her family. She allegedly armed herself with her mother’s black handgun and, along with her mother riding “shotgun,” pursued the teenagers who were near the vehicle.
According to the criminal complaint, a witness stated that Golden-Richmond “wanted to steal a car” and had broken a car window before running from Johnson.
Chase and Shooting
Johnson reportedly drove her sister’s vehicle in pursuit of the teens, firing shots as they ran. The complaint noted that she fired multiple times until her gun jammed, hitting Golden-Richmond in the back, with bullets passing through his liver, heart, and chest cavity. Five bullet casings were recovered at the scene.
Witnesses initially believed Golden-Richmond was overdosing, and he was administered Narcan by bystanders, but he had actually been fatally shot.
Admission and Investigation
Johnson initially tried to shift blame to another man named “Neff” but later admitted she was the shooter after being confronted with witness statements and information from her mother. She claimed she intended only to scare the individuals, not to cause physical harm…