A quiet early morning in downtown Williamsport turned into heartbreak when 15-year-old Brailynn Johnson was found lying wounded on the intersection of Park Place and First Avenue, and later died in surgery despite frantic efforts to save him. According to the Lycoming County Coroner’s Office and the Williamsport Bureau of Police, Johnson was rushed to UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Hospital after the shooting in the early hours of November 1. Efforts on the operating table failed; he succumbed to uncontrolled blood loss and his death was ruled a homicide.
The autopsy, completed by Forensic Pathology Associates in Allentown, revealed that Johnson died from a single gunshot wound to his abdomen. The official case file (WBP #25009122) lists the incident as occurring in the 600 block of First Avenue and confirms that police arrived on scene after a dispatch call while officers were already investigating a separate shooting nearby.
At this time, no suspect has been arrested and officers are asking the public for help. The Williamsport Bureau of Police urges anyone with information to contact them—Investigator Brittany Alexander is listed as the point of contact. The case remains active and ongoing, and the investigation into what led to the tragedy continues.
What makes this even more troubling is that just hours earlier, another 15-year-old boy had been shot twice in the chest at a house party just a few blocks away—and that victim survived. While police have not confirmed whether the two incidents are connected, the timing and proximity raise pressing questions for the community.
The identity of the victim was made public by the coroner’s office on Tuesday: Johnson, from Center Street in Williamsport. Friends and neighbors in the tight-knit community are grappling with grief and shock. A loss at such a young age, under these violent circumstances, is hitting families hard in the region.
When a teenager winds up the victim of homicide in what should have been a safe early-morning moment, it sends ripples through the community. Parents are asking how it could happen; youth are questioning their safety; police are working on answers. Williamsport—already dealing with the weight of incoming winter and holiday pressures—now faces the pain of yet another young life cut short.
In the aftermath, the broader message is clear: if you saw something, or know something, speak up. Small clues matter. One phone call could make the difference. As Johnson’s family mourns, the Williamsport Bureau of Police reminds the public that keeping information private may only delay justice. The city watches and hopes for answers—and resolution.
The loss of Brailynn Johnson is a deep wound in Williamsport’s heart. The streets where he walked, the family that expected more time, the laughter that should have been ahead—all of it now silenced. But in the pain, there is a chance for action: to come forward, to call in tips, to help prevent another young person from becoming tomorrow’s headline.