Juvenile to be prosecuted as adult in fatal Bayonne apartment shooting
Bayonne, NJ – A fatal shooting inside a Bayonne apartment that claimed the life of a 17-year-old boy in 2024 is now headed to adult criminal court after prosecutors announced the accused juvenile will face charges as an adult.
Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello said the juvenile charged in the death of John Dominguez has been waived up to criminal court for adult prosecution. The defendant, Ramel Johnson, now 19 and of Jersey City, was 17 years old at the time of the shooting.
Johnson has been charged with manslaughter, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon under New Jersey statutes.
The shooting occurred shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 21, when emergency responders were called to an apartment at 124 West Third Street for an unresponsive male. The victim, later identified as Dominguez of Bayonne, was transported to Bayonne Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just after 3 p.m.
The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined Dominguez died from a gunshot wound to the torso and ruled the manner of death a homicide.
Prosecutors stressed that the charges are accusations and that Johnson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Key Points
- A juvenile charged in a 2024 Bayonne shooting will be prosecuted as an adult
- Ramel Johnson faces manslaughter and multiple weapons charges
- The victim, 17-year-old John Dominguez, died from a gunshot wound inside a Bayonne apartment