Family of Belleville man who was shot to death in Venice is awaiting answers
The sister of a Belleville man killed Wednesday in a Venice apartment said he was a ``special brother” whose loss has devastated their family.
Abrien Johnson, 25, was shot in the Bissell Apartment building in the 1300 block of Klein Avenue. He died as a result of his wounds.
Police said Monday there were no updates in the investigation.
Meanwhile, Johnson’s family mourns and waits.
``He was a special brother. His smile would light up a room. He had the ability to make everybody laugh with his jokes, “ said Johnson’s sister, Asia V. Johnson. “Abrien was good with his hands. He once made an old school wooden clock in high school. He loved to tear things apart or build things. He was just good.
“He was the best brother and son. We are all going to miss him,” she said.
She said she last spoke to her brother Monday, March 7, the week before his death.
“He was in a good mood. He is always in a good mood. He is one of those people who doesn’t let anything bother him unless it is about his three children,” Johnson said.
“He was always making jokes, and trying to make people laugh. When he was in school, he was a class clown. He got put out of class for talking and making jokes. So many people loved him,” she said.
Johnson said her last conversation with her brother was like always, filled with happiness and fun.
“The last conversation that we had we talked about him getting a new job. I took him to do a drug test. He was looking forward to getting the job,” she said.
Johnson said her brother visiting friends when he was shot. She doesn’t know what happened. Like everyone else in her family and among his friends, “We are waiting to hear from police about any arrests.”
Johnson said her brother’s oldest daughter is 7. His son is 4 and his third child,a daughter, is 1. “He was a great father to his kids. He was very active in their lives,” she said.
“ …Our family will still be supportive of the children. Those children are our family. We have to be there and we want to be there for them,”Johnson said.
Johnson said their mother, Angela, is taking Abrien’s death hard. He was her only son.
Asia Johnson learned about her brother’s shooting in a call from their mother. For a time, they were under the impression that he had “gotten shot in his leg and the bullet went straight through. We were under the impression he was going to be OK.”
The family was still under the impression Abrien Johnson had been shot in the leg and would be OK before they went to the hospital to see him that day.
“When my mom and little sister, Aleah, got there, they were told he had been shot multiple times and the doctors were working on him, doing everything they could to save him,” she said.
“I was in disbelief. We thought he had been shot in the leg. We didn’t realize he had been shot multiple times.”
The shooting was reported at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. Abrien Johnson was taken to St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, where he died from his injuries.
Tara Rick, spokesperson for the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office, said he was pronounced dead in the emergency room at 8:53 p.m. Wednesday.
At the request of Venice Police, lllinois State Police are investigating the shooting death, said Joshua Korando, public information officer for the state police.
No one had been arrested as of early Monday afternoon.
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 2:00 PM.
