David Levine Johnson Jr. kept up with friends and family as if it was his job. He was known for making his rounds, popping in to hug and kiss everyone and asking if they were okay.
“David was an active person, so you’d see him one minute and he’s gone the next,” said his sister, Christine Johnson. “He checked in with everyone, not just friends and family. He would see people outside on the street and he’d ask anyone, ‘How are you doing today? How’s your morning?’ That’s who he was.”
“West Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, North, wherever he went, everybody loved him,” she added.
Born Feb, 27, 1981, David was the second child of parents Pamela Johnson and David Levine Johnson Sr. He was born a year and a half after his sister Christine, and three younger brothers followed.
The family lived in Southwest Philadelphia, and David attended Anderson Elementary School, John P. Turner Middle School, Edward W. Bok Technical High School and Bartram High School.
Christine describes her brother as “funny and clumsy—he could fall for no reason. I don’t think we could count how many times he had to get stitches. He was goofy and silly, he was who he was. He loved people. We struggled. We had a hard life. It wasn’t all roses, but we made the best of it.”
David was a laborer, but his goal was to work for himself. He had a vision for a business where he would paint and do construction so he could provide for his five kids and set a good example for them. He had a 16-year-old daughter, a 9-year-old daughter, 7-year-old twin daughters, and a 5-year-old son. David lived with his fiancee and their children in Darby, Delaware County.
“They were his world, and did everything to make sure his kids were happy and well taken care of,” Christine said. “He did what he had to do, even if he had to shovel snow, he’d do it to make sure he took care of his family.”
David was a huge fan of Philly sports teams, especially the Eagles and Sixers. Prior to COVID, Christine got free box seat tickets to a Sixers game and invited David. She isn’t into sports, but she enjoyed watching David having the best time. It remains a cherished memory.
David was a genuine person who wholeheartedly embraced his Muslim faith. He was also protective, not only of his family, but of anyone who needed help.
On Sept. 30, 2021, David stopped in to see Christine and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“He walked out the door and told me he loved me. You never think it’s going to be the last time you’re going to hear that, but it was,” she said. “He protected me. He would always make me feel safe.”
That night just after 8 p.m., a fight broke out between two women in the 5800 block of Trinity Street in Southwest Philadelphia. David stepped in to break it up, and he was shot.
Police placed David in their patrol vehicle and rushed him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he died from his wounds that evening. He was 40 years old.
Despite many eyewitnesses to David’s murder, no one has come forward with information that could help police solve the case.
“Being a good person cost him his life,” Christine said. “He lost his life being a protector.”
David is laid to rest at Friends South Western Burial Ground in Upper Darby.
A reward of up to $20,000 is available to anyone that comes forward with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for David’s murder. Anonymous calls can be submitted by calling the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS.
Resources are available for people and communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Click here for more information.
