Arraignment set in Iowa City shooting case

An arraignment has been set for Jan. 21 for the man charged in connection to the Dec. 30 shooting of 20-year-old Kylie Jo Perkins.

Police arrested Alajuwon Johnson, 26, on Dec. 31 and charged him with Involuntary Manslaughter, Carrying Weapons, possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, according to police reports.

Police said Johnson was visiting Perkins at her apartment at 1527 Aber Ave. when both Johnson and Perkins mishandled a gun he had illegally concealed into the apartment.

According to details outlined in Johnson County Court Documents, Perkins was shot with a 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic pistol that Johnson had forcibly snatched away from her, causing a fatal gunshot wound to her chest.

Iowa City investigators said Johnson admitted he did not contact emergency officials right after Perkins was shot, despite her pleading, because he was still wanted by authorities for some non-related misdemeanor charges.

Johnson eventually asked a friend to call for help and left with his handgun. The third-party caller told police that a robbery had happened at 1227 Aber Ave., which delayed Perkins, who had been incapacitated by the gunshot, from getting emergency services.

Results of an autopsy of Perkins have not been released and are not expected to for a few weeks, police said.