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Man Paralyzed 36 Years Ago By Shooting Dies; Homicide Investigation Begins

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Sacramento police are investigating the death of a man who passed away on Monday -- 36 years after he was shot.

Walter Johnson Jr., 62, of Sacramento was pronounced dead on Monday at a Sacramento hospital due to medical complications associated with being shot decades before, according to a press release issued by the Sacramento Police Department.

On April 9, 1977 Johnson was driving on San Carlos Way in Sacramento between 13th and 14th avenues when he was stopped by a parked car blocking the road. Three men approached Johnson as he sat in his vehicle, and a struggle ensued. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot Johnson in the upper body. The men robbed Johnson and drove away in a red or brown Ford Pinto.

The shooting left Johnson paralyzed, and complications associated with his condition led to medical issues that eventually caused his death, police say.

At the time, robbery detectives investigated the incident and booked evidence, but their efforts wouldn't lead to an arrest.

The Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento County Coroner's Office are now investigating Johnson's death as a homicide.

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