Did racial harassment play a role in Central Dauphin student's death?

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa (WHP) — After a Central Dauphin 10th-grader died Friday of what appeared to be cardiac arrest, some in the community are speculating that his passing may have been brought on by racial harassment.

Justin Johnson, 16, died at Hershey Medical Center late Friday. Police and school officials both said they are aware of social media reports showing that Johnson may have been targeted for racial harassment by his peers.

Security camera footage from the home shows teenagers chasing someone in front of the Johnson home. One of the teens is heard saying, "He went back to f***ing Africa!"

However, police said Johnson told his dad he was "playing tag" with the group, and based off their initial investigation, officers said it doesn't seem like Justin was distressed or being harmed based on the video.

READ MORE: Police report new timeline of events that lead to 16-year-old Justin Johnson's death

Justin's father, Orville Johnson, told CBS 21 Monday that his last conversation with his son was a phone call Friday when Justin told him he was running as fast as he could to get away from a group of other kids.

"The Monday, previous Monday, those kids were here, and they knew each other from school," Orville said. "Why would you chase him?"

The Johnsons are relatively new residents to the area, coming from Jamaica.

The Central Dauphin School District released a statement Monday that, in part, acknowledged the school's awareness that Johnson may have been a target of racial harassment. In the statement, the District said it was aware of "social media reports that indicated that Justin was subjected to racial insensitivity from classmates."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Police investigate 16-year-old's death in Lower Paxton Twp.

Johnson's father said he returned home from work Friday night to find his son face down on the kitchen floor. Orville called for help, and when emergency crews arrived, they attempted CPR before taking Johnson to Hershey Medical Center where the teen was pronounced dead.

Orville described Justin as funny, polite, kind, and couldn’t understand why anyone would chase his son until he literally collapsed.

The entire statement from the school district can be read below:

Dear CDSD Community,

The Central Dauphin School District is saddened to hear about the passing of Justin Johnson, a 10th grade student at Central Dauphin High School.

We understand that the circumstances around Justin’s death have not been determined, however there are social media reports that indicated that Justin was subjected to racial insensitivity from classmates.

Please understand that this type of behavior is not consistent with our core values and our vision of making sure everyone is valued and connected. Hate speech or any behavior that denigrates another person's rights will not be tolerated and is not consistent with the mission, vision, and values of CDSD.

We are aware of the social media posts and are cooperating with local law enforcement.

Here is a link to Lower Paxton Township Police statement. Sourced via CRIMEWATCH: https://dauphin.crimewatchpa.com/lowerpaxtonpd/3730/cases/death-investigation This investigation is now in the hands of Lower Paxton Township Police. CDSD will not make additional statements until the conclusion of the investigation.

According to Lower Paxton Township Police, officers responded to the 3000 block of Bianca Way at approximately 9:55 p.m. on Friday for a 16-year-old in cardiac arrest.

A GoFundMe was created to assist Johnson's family.