ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A motorist shot and killed early Sunday after he allegedly attacked another driver in a road rage incident has been identified by authorities.
Tamir Johnson, 35, of Whitehall Township, died of a gunshot wound to the torso, Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio said.
Johnson was a standout basketball player at Kutztown University from 2009-2011.
In a post on the social media platform X, Kutztown's men's basketball team described the 6-foot-6 Johnson as "a stalwart leader and quiet giant."
The incident happened at 3:37 a.m. Sunday at Fifth and Hamilton streets.
According to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, video surveillance showed two vehicles — an Audi and a Prius — involved in an altercation leading up to the shooting.
The video showed the Audi passing the Prius in the 400 block of Hamilton Street, forcing the Prius to the curb after crossing Fifth Street.
Johnson, the driver of the Audi, got out of his car with a bat and swung it at the Prius driver, striking the driver’s side door, according to a news release.
The Prius driver, still behind the wheel, fired a single shot at Johnson, the release said.
The Prius driver left the scene, parked a short distance away and called 911, the district attorney’s office said. When police arrived, they said they found the Prius driver with a 9 mm handgun he was legally permitted to have.
Johnson was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest at 4:51 a.m., Buglio said.
The district attorney’s office said an investigation continues by Allentown police, the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
The district attorney’s office said they have not identified the Prius driver because no charges have been filed.
Johnson transferred to Kutztown from Central Connecticut State and played his high school ball at Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia, according to his bio on the Kutztown basketball website.
He was a valuable team member his final season in 2010-11 as he led Kutztown in scoring and rebounding.
