Following a reported theft and aggravated assault at a Dollar General in Knoxville, a man has been arrested. The Knoxville Police Department responded to the incident on Monday, where, according to a statement from the department, 42-year-old Johnny Carson was apprehended after he filled a basket with merchandise and then used the store's emergency door to make an illicit exit.
The store manager, upon confronting Carson, was met with the sight of a handgun in Carson's waistband and threats as Carson loaded the stolen items into an awaiting vehicle. Despite the altercation, law enforcement was swift to locate and stop the suspect. The vehicle was found near Washington Avenue and Chestnut Street, with Carson and a woman accompanying him inside.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered a loaded handgun in a backpack, corroborating the manager's account of the firearm. The attire Carson wore during the theft was still on him, reinforcing the connection to the crime. Unfortunately for Carson, this incident adds to a history of legal transgressions, including prior felony convictions for aggravated assault.
Carson now faces charges including two counts of theft, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, suggesting a continued disregard for the law. The woman in the car was not spared the law's scrutiny, finding herself charged with driving on a revoked license. Knoxvillepolice.gov reports that the charges encompass the gravity of the crimes and the perpetrator's past conduct.
