NC police shot young Fayetteville woman 17 times, autopsy shows; new details emerge from July death

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) - The autopsy and toxicology reports returned in the officer-involved shooting death of a young Fayetteville woman are shedding a new light on the case.

Jada Johnson, 22, was shot 17 times by law enforcement on July 1, according to her autopsy report released Tuesday. One bullet entered the right side of Johnson’s head, injuring her “scalp, brain and skull,” the report said.

A second gunshot wound to the head, which went in and exited the right side of her head, created a depression and a skull fracture.

Johnson’s autopsy revealed all locations on the body where she was shot.

One penetrating gunshot wound of head;
One perforating gunshot wound of head;
One perforating gunshot wound of right forearm;
One penetrating gunshot wound of right arm/shoulder;
Two penetrating gunshot wounds of right hip/torso;
Four perforating gunshot wounds of torso;
Five penetrating gunshot wounds of torso;
Two penetrating gunshot wounds of torso/right shoulder.

The shooting happened at the woman’s grandfather’s home on Colgate Drive in Fayetteville, just before 10 p.m. on July 1. Officers arrived to the home initially to a call about a break-in.

Rick Iwanski, her grandfather, said his granddaughter suffered from mental illness and was convinced her boyfriend was trying to get inside and kill her. He said he explained the situation to officers, but things escalated.

“She thought they [the boyfriend] was here to kill her and they [the police] end[ed] up murdering her right in front of us,” Iwanski said.

The autopsy stated Johnson’s manner of death was homicide.

Her grandfather said the boyfriend was abusive and she was trying to end the relationship.

As the investigation ensued, both Officer Zacharius Borom and Sergeant Timothy Rugg were put on paid administrative leave pending the outcome.

What complicated the investigation was Johnson pulling a gun and threatening to commit suicide, police previously said.

A search warrant filed by the State Bureau of Investigation revealed Sgt. Rugg attempted to disarm Johnson when she went to drink water with her gun under her arm. Police previously told CBS 17 there was some type of struggle that followed.

“There was no wrestling. No struggle. There was nothing like that,” Iwanski previously said.

The warrant said Officer Borom fired his gun that killed Johnson after she broke free of Sgt. Rugg and attempted to grab her gun.

CBS 17 knew Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds Sept. 12 after obtaining her death certificate, but was not aware of the details released in Tuesday’s autopsy. Her death certificate only read “multiple gunshot wounds of head and torso.”

Furthermore, Johnson’s toxicology report was released Tuesday, too.

It revealed Johnson under the influence of 0.32 mg/L of methamphetamine and in the possession of unknown pills that were found in a plastic bag on her person.

All her organs, despite the gunshots, were normally located.

No other information is known at this time.