Two years on, a Ferndale mother is still demanding answers about the fatal shooting of her teen son inside a Southfield hotel, a case that remains stubbornly unsolved. Fifteen-year-old Tyler Johnson was shot in the head in a room at the Westin Southfield in February 2024 and died days later. His family and investigators say the case is stalled because the other teens who were in the room that night are refusing to talk.
Mother Presses Prosecutors, Refuses To Let Case Go Cold
Tyler’s mother, Tomika Alexander, met this week with representatives from the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and Southfield police, pushing once again for movement in the case and publicly renewing her plea for help. “We will not stop. We will not be discouraged. And we will not rest until justice is served,” she said, according to The Oakland Press.
The prosecutor's office, in a news release cited by that outlet, said it will not stop working to provide justice for Tyler Johnson. Alexander told reporters the meeting was about pressing for new leads and making sure the case does not quietly drift into cold-case territory.
What Police Say Happened Inside The Westin Room
Investigators say the shooting happened on Feb. 11, 2024, in a room that had been rented by an adult, and that Johnson died from his injuries on Feb. 15, according to CBS Detroit.
Police recovered two handguns from one of the teens who was there, including a Glock that had been reported stolen out of Flint, along with a 40-caliber shell casing, live rounds in an extended magazine, and drugs and a scale, ClickOnDetroit reported.
Why No One Has Been Charged
Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren has said detectives have physical evidence. We have circumstantial evidence. What we need is an eyewitness to bring those things together, but no eyewitness has come forward, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Barren told reporters that the four juveniles who were in the room have retained attorneys and are not providing statements. Prosecutors say that without testimony tying the evidence together, they do not have what they need to file homicide charges.
Reward On The Table, Tip Line Open
Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest, and tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-SPEAK-UP or through Crime Stoppers' online tip portal, according to FOX 2 Detroit. Southfield police are also asking anyone with information to call the department at (248) 796-5500.
Who Tyler Was Beyond The Headlines
Johnson was a sophomore at Detroit Loyola High School, according to WXYZ. His family remembers him as a sports-loving kid who enjoyed checking out new restaurants and hanging with friends, a teenager with everyday interests whose life ended in a hotel room that should have been just another weekend hangout.
Hoodline tracked the early months of the investigation as Alexander began publicly demanding justice. She says she has no plans to stop and will keep pushing for a witness to step forward until someone is held accountable for her son's death.
