20-Year-Old College Student Fatally Shot At New Year’s Eve Party; U.S. Marine Arrested In Arizona

Authorities have arrested and charged U.S. Marine Corporal Eric Jamal Johnson for shooting and killing a student. The victim was designated-driving at a party on New Year's Eve and is a junior student of the University of North Texas.

CBS News reported that Sara Mutschlechner was taking three passengers home from a New Year's Eve party as a designated driver at 2am when attacked by a dark-colored SUV. People inside the SUV, two of The Daytona Boyz (one of the party's performers) together with two more African-American males and Johnson started to verbally attacked Mutschlechner's group along Denton road. Shortly after that, someone in the SUV began firing at Mutschlechner's vehicle when the two cars began moving away with each other, hitting it several times. The vehicle Mutschlechner's driving then slammed into another car before crashing into a utility pole.

The 20-year-old victim with a bullet-wound to the head was transported to Denton Regional Medical Center but died after being removed off life support. Another female in Sara's sedan was in a hospital with a broken collarbone. The police was told by the witnesses that at least two of the men were from the same party as the victim and her friends. The police added that Sara's group was assaulted and did not make offensive comments in answer to Johnson's group malicious comments, as Daily Mail stated.

According to ABC News, Eric Jamal Johnson, 20 years of age, was in Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 and was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona. The suspect was found today and was arrested with warrant and taken into custody at approximately 6:30 a.m. at the North Gate of the installation. The investigations are still in its early stages as Denton police said.

Sara's mother is devastated because according to her, Sara "was friends with everyone". Her father, Clay Mutschlechner said "There are so many people that knew her, that she touched their lives." She wanted to be a film director. She is part of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and her sisters are sad at what happened to her. 

Tags

U.S. Marine Corps, Eric Jamal Johnson, University of North Texas, designated driver, Sara Mutschlechner, Yuma, Arizona, Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, killing, Shooting

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