Just after sunrise on July 30, 2025, Willie Johnson Jr., 32, of Salisbury, North Carolina, was found lying in the roadway at the intersection of Long and Liberty streets and was pronounced dead at the scene from an apparent gunshot injury. Officers responding to a 7:25 a.m. call began a homicide investigation that quickly drew a heavy police presence and crime-scene tape in the neighborhood.

Detectives say they believe the gunfire occurred at a residence on Park Avenue and that Johnson ended up several blocks away in the street. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation joined local detectives as officers canvassed nearby homes and businesses for witnesses and surveillance that might show his movements or a vehicle’s route from Park Avenue to Long Street. Shell casings, trajectory analysis and neighborhood footage were among the elements investigators were pursuing.

An obituary and funeral listing confirmed his death and hometown, and gun violence registries added the case to their records. As of late July and early August 2025, no arrests had been announced and no suspect had been publicly identified. If anyone saw or has footage of activity on Park Avenue or the route to Long and Liberty streets that morning, please share what is known with Salisbury police.