Youngest Judge in Pennsylvania History Under Investigation After Shooting 10-Month-Old Puppy That Got Loose While Family Was Searching for Her
Magisterial District Judge Hanif Johnson, who made history in 2019 as Pennsylvania’s youngest judge at age 26, is now under investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office after shooting a 10-month-old puppy earlier this month.
The incident occurred on March 10 in Harrisburg while Johnson, now 35, was walking his own dog. He encountered a loose puppy named Lux and fired a single shot, which struck the dog through the shoulder blade and exited the back, causing a severe bone injury.
The injury was critical, and Lux required emergency surgery. Her front leg had to be amputated in order to save her life. The puppy’s owners, who were searching for her after she ran away, could not afford the cost of the surgery and transferred her to Pitties Love Peace, a local pit bull rescue organization.
Mika Steifel, president of Pitties Love Peace, told CBS 21 that Lux would not have survived without the operation. “She was shot through her shoulder blade and out through her back, which destroyed the bone. Amputation was her only option,” Steifel said. Lux is now in a foster home and recovering.
Johnson himself contacted the Harrisburg Bureau of Police shortly after the shooting, describing the act as necessary. Police collected evidence at the scene but immediately handed the case to the Attorney General’s Office to avoid conflicts of interest, since Johnson regularly presides over cases involving city police and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office.
Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo confirmed that his office recused itself from the matter on the same day. “My attorneys appear before this magisterial district judge for preliminary hearings all the time,” Chardo said. “I invoked a conflict and referred the investigation to the Attorney General’s Office.”
The Attorney General’s Office has confirmed an active investigation but has provided no additional details. As of early Sunday morning, no charges have been filed. Johnson’s judicial office declined to comment but confirmed that he remains on the bench and continues to hear cases, according to PennLive.
Johnson first gained public attention when he was elected as Pennsylvania’s youngest magistrate judge in 2019. At the time, he spoke about overcoming challenges related to his age, race, and upbringing. His past included arrests—once for a reported robbery and once in connection with a fraternity hazing incident—but he was cleared in both cases, passing a polygraph test in the robbery matter.
Reflecting on his journey, Johnson told CBS 21 that community support had been vital in his life. “I want that little boy growing up in the projects or in difficult circumstances to see me and know there is hope,” he said, emphasizing that his story shows young people can rise above adversity.
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