The tragic premature death of Billey Joe Johnson of Mississippi has the black community and the sports nation up in arms about the circumstances surrounding it. The NAACP has intervened on the Johnson family’s behalf to examine the sordid details. 

From Blackvoices/Fanhouse: 

The authorities are not sure if the shooting was an accident or suicide but Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking at the cause of death. According to the Associated Press, Johnson rushed for more than 4,000 yards in his high school career. Plus he had scholarship offers from universities including Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State and Oregon.

From Associated Press on Friday: 

LUCEDALE, Miss. – The family of George County High football star Billey Joe Johnson Jr. is scheduled to meet Monday with District Attorney Tony Lawrence.

Lawrence said Friday that he will discuss the investigation into Johnson’s death with the family before making an information public.

The 17-year-old Johnson was stopped by a George County sheriff’s deputy shortly after 6 a.m. Monday after he reportedly ran a red light and a stop sign.

According to the sheriff’s department, when the deputy went to his patrol vehicle to do a driver’s license check, he heard a gunshot and looked up to see Johnson lying beside the pickup truck. A shotgun was on the body.

Johnson was a star runningback for the George County High School team.

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