Allaejah Johnson was 22 when she was killed by a stray bullet at her family’s home on Allard Road in Portsmouth, Virginia, on the evening of February 27, 2023. She was helping her father bring in groceries and a birthday cake for her brother’s 17th birthday when gunfire from what was described as a drive-by shooting pierced the house and struck her in the head, killing her instantly.

Family members described Allaejah, who had special needs, as a loving presence whose smile and warmth touched everyone around her; more than 200 people attended her funeral. As of February 2024, no arrests had been announced and the Portsmouth Police Department listed the death as a homicide with the investigation ongoing. Electronic billboards displaying Allaejah’s smile have been installed around the area to honor her memory.

If anyone saw activity near Allard Road on the night of February 27, 2023, or has information that could help identify those responsible, please come forward to the Portsmouth Police Department.