Baltimore police announced this morning that they arrested an 18-year-old man in the July slaying of a U.S. Marine who was shot during an altercation inside a downtown Hookah bar. The Marine, 26-year-old Sgt. Chase Love, was from New Orleans and was celebrating with friends before his redeployment to Afghanistan.
The suspect is identified as Ronald Johnson (left), of the 2100 block of West Lexington St.
Police said in charging documents that Chase and Johnson got into an argument inside Queen's Hookah in the 200 block of East Baltimore St. in the early morning hours of July 2. The court document filed by Detective Mark Veney of the homicide unit says that Chase shoved Johnson and that Johnson shot him several times with a small .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
Love stumbled out of the lounge and collapsed on the sidewalk in front of Manasa Hallmark store.
The Marine lived with his wife and two stepchildren in North Carolina. He had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Several active and and former servicemen had been killed in the months prior to Love's death.
Johnson has been charged with first-degree murder, first and second degree assault and several handgun counts.