Rhode Island Man Tied to Vatican Miracle Arrested in Double Shooting
A Rhode Island man with an extraordinary life story is now facing serious criminal accusations after a violent shooting case crossed state lines.
Tyquan Johnson, 19, was arrested Wednesday morning in Newport News, Virginia, by members of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Authorities had been looking for him after a July 19 shooting in Newport, Rhode Island.
According to the Newport Police Department, Johnson was wanted on charges of felony assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a compact area. The shooting happened in the Park Holm neighborhood.
Police said two men, ages 22 and 25, were found with gunshot wounds to their lower bodies. Their injuries were described as non-life-threatening. Both men were treated and later released.
Investigators identified Johnson as a suspect, but police said he left the state. A second person is still wanted for questioning. Authorities described both individuals as armed and dangerous.
An arrest warrant for Johnson was obtained on July 23. Police believed he had gone from Rhode Island to Virginia, and the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force became involved. Johnson was later found at a residence on Chestnut Avenue in Newport News and taken into custody about ten days after the shooting.
What made the case draw wider attention was not just the shooting allegation. It was Johnson’s identity.
The details on the arrest warrant reportedly matched the same young man whose birth had been reviewed by the Vatican and recognized as a miracle by Pope Leo XIV in June 2025.
Johnson was born on January 14, 2007, at the former Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. His birth was an emergency. His mother had complications, and doctors delivered him by cesarean section.
After birth, the newborn reportedly had no detectable heartbeat. Medical staff tried to revive him for about 65 minutes. Doctors feared he would either die or suffer severe brain damage from the long period without oxygen.
During that emergency, the attending physician, who was from Spain, prayed for the intercession of Salvador Valera Parra, a 19th-century Spanish priest. Moments later, Johnson’s heart reportedly began beating again without further medical intervention.
Johnson later made a full recovery. He was speaking by 18 months and walking by age 2. The case was studied for years by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, approved the miracle last year. That decision advanced Valera Parra’s cause toward sainthood. The Diocese of Providence called the case a strong reminder of the power of prayer.
After the Vatican recognition, Johnson said the news strengthened his faith. He also said he felt he had been given a second chance at life and spoke about “paying it forward.” He had also expressed interest in joining the military.
Now, less than a year later, Johnson is accused of opening fire on two people in Newport and fleeing Rhode Island. The case remains active, and another individual is still being sought for questioning.