Tyquan Johnson, 19, whose 2007 recovery was cited as a Vatican-recognized miracle, was arrested July 29 in connection with a July 19 double shooting in Newport, Rhode Island. Two victims, ages 22 and 25, suffered non-life-threatening leg wounds. Johnson faces charges including felony assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a compact area; the investigation is ongoing and additional charges or questioning may follow.
Pope-Linked Teen Arrested in Rhode Island Double Shooting; Vatican-Recognized ‘Miracle’ Now Draws Scrutiny
Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images
Authorities say 19-year-old Tyquan Johnson — whose dramatic 2007 recovery at birth was cited as a miracle in the Vatican’s beatification of 19th-century Spanish priest Salvador Valera Parra — was arrested in connection with a July 19 double shooting in Newport, Rhode Island.
Arrest, Charges and Incident Details
U.S. Marshals arrested Johnson at a Virginia residence on July 29, TMZ reported. Newport, R.I., police say the shooting occurred near Truman Road and Rosedale Avenue on July 19 and left two people, ages 22 and 25, with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to their legs.
According to NBC 10, investigators obtained a warrant charging Johnson with felony assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a compact area. Police described the incident as targeted and isolated.
How He Was Found
Members of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located Johnson at an address on Chestnut Avenue in Newport News, Virginia, at about 8:30 a.m., officials said. Local investigators warn the probe is ongoing; additional charges or questioning of other people could follow. Authorities have not publicly identified any additional person of interest or disclosed a motive.
Why This Drew Wider Attention
The case attracted broader attention because Johnson’s 2007 recovery was cited in the Vatican’s beatification process for Salvador Valera Parra. The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints said Johnson was born prematurely without normal breathing and with an extremely low heart rate. The attending physician prayed for Parra’s intercession, and the infant’s heartbeat reportedly returned shortly afterward without further medical intervention.
Vatican News reported that Pope Leo XIV approved the miracle attributed to Salvador Valera Parra’s intercession on June 20, 2025, a step that paved the way for the priest’s beatification on February 7, 2026.
Context and Caution
The arrest adds an unexpected chapter to recent public interest in Pope Leo XIV, who has been in the spotlight for a U.S. television interview about immigration and American identity, a publicized gift from Senator Marco Rubio, and an image of him participating in a viral gesture with young Catholics.
Johnson has been charged, but not convicted. Prosecutors must prove the allegations in court, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Reported by: Misbah Pandithon. Originally published on Reality Tea.
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