Lansing police identify Everett football player, 19-year-old killed in double homicide

Lansing State Journal

LANSING — Lansing police have released the names of two teenagers killed in a homicide early Monday morning.

Marshawn Beard, 16, and Damon Johnson, 19, were shot at about 1 a.m. Monday near Rotary Park in downtown Lansing.

Johnson was found dead near the park and Beard died shortly after arriving to the hospital, Lansing Police Public Information Director Robert Merritt said.

A 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were also injured in the shooting, Merritt said.

Violent weekend: 3 dead, including 2 teens, after violent 12 hours at Lansing parks

Beard was a football player at Everett High School in Lansing, according to a tweet from the team's account.

"A thought of comfort and condolences from the Everett Football program," the tweet read. "To his family Please accept our deepest sympathies during this very difficult time. I hope the memories you have with Marshawn comfort you. We are so sorry for your loss and are keeping you in mind."

No one has been arrested in connection with the double homicide, Merritt said.

Lansing Police Chief Daryl Green, who is retiring from the department June 25, said in a statement posted on Facebook that law enforcement is "assertively collaborating to locate and arrest violent offenders."

"We are aggressively seeking out shooters, victims, and witnesses who are connected to or have information regarding violence through our violent crime initiative," Green said in the statement. "Our intent is use every available city resource we have to hold responsible persons accountable and support community members that provide information to solve violent criminal cases."

Mike Lynn, a former firefighter and co-founder of the nonprofit The Village Lansing, held a community forum Monday night to talk about the murders. Many parents who lost their children to gun violence spoke and demanded change in the city. One of the speakers was Marshawn's sister, Diamond Williams.

"He didn’t deserve this," Williams said. "He was only 16. He had a life to live. He wanted to be a famous football player. ... I wasn’t ready for my baby to go right now."

Flanked by The Village Lansing co-founders Michael Lynn Jr. and Aaron Blankenburg, right, Diamond Williams of Lansing talks about her youngest brother Marshawn Beard, who was one of two young men murdered at Rotary Park early Monday morning. The town-hall style meeting at The Village Lansing was organized to address the recent rash of shootings and violence in Lansing following a violent 12-hour period at two Lansing public parks over the weekend resulting in the deaths of three people, including two teens, and several hospitalizations.

Anyone with information can contact Lansing Police Department at 517-483-4600, Detective Sgt. Troy Johnston at 517-483-6867, Crime Stoppers at 517-483-7867 or message the Lansing Police Department Facebook page.

Contact reporter Kara Berg at 517-377-1113 or kberg@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @karaberg95.