In the heart of Conway, Arkansas, a vibrant spring evening at Fifth Avenue Park turned into a nightmare on April 13, 2025. What began as a lively gathering, filled with laughter and music, was shattered by a hail of gunfire—73 rounds unleashed from at least seven weapons, leaving two lives lost and nine others scarred. The tragedy claimed Tatayana Penister, a 24-year-old from England, Arkansas, and Demetrius Feemster, a 23-year-old from Little Rock, while sending shockwaves through a community now grappling with grief and a demand for justice.
For months, the Conway Police Department, alongside state and federal allies, pursued the shadows behind this act of violence. On the evening of August 21, 2025, their relentless chase reached its climax in Pine Bluff. Kemarie Johnson, a 19-year-old from Conway, was cornered and apprehended by Arkansas State Police and U.S. Marshals. His capture marked the final chapter in the hunt for the four suspects tied to the massacre. Johnson now faces a litany of grave charges: two counts of capital murder, nine counts of attempted murder, and one count of terrorism, each accusation a testament to the devastation left in the wake of that fateful night.
The investigation revealed a chaotic scene at Fifth Avenue Park, where a crowded party became a battlefield. The sheer volume of gunfire—73 rounds tearing through the air—spoke to the ferocity of the attack. Conway police, supported by the U.S. Marshals Eastern District of Arkansas Fugitive Task Force, pieced together the puzzle with meticulous determination. Their efforts bore fruit early on with the arrests of two other suspects, Ryan Goins, 20, of Pine Bluff, and Tyler Farris, 19, of Conway, both apprehended shortly after the shooting. In June, Kemarie’s brother, Keydrick Johnson, 21, was also brought into custody, tightening the net around the final fugitive.
The Conway Police Department hailed the arrests as a triumph of “relentless work and coordination” among local, state, and federal agencies. Each step forward was a promise kept to the victims’ families, who have endured unimaginable loss. Tatayana Penister and Demetrius Feemster, remembered for their youth and potential, now stand as solemn reminders of a community’s resolve to heal and seek justice. As Kemarie Johnson awaits his day in court, Conway holds its breath, hoping that closure will bring peace to a park once filled with joy, now forever marked by tragedy.