An armed suspect is still on the run after a Saturday domestic-dispute shooting in rural Licking County that left two people wounded, authorities said. One person was shot, and both victims were taken to a local hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
What officials say
The Licking County Sheriff’s Office first released details on Facebook, identifying the suspect as 36-year-old James Walter Johnson and warning that he is believed to be armed and dangerous. Investigators say Johnson took off from the scene in a white 2012 GMC Terrain. With help from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the Mount Vernon Police Department, that vehicle was later found in Mount Vernon.
Deputies then activated their SWAT team and moved on a residence on Harmon Road, but Johnson was not located there. The search and investigation are still very much active, according to law enforcement information reported by WBNS.
Scene and safety
Deputies were dispatched to the 10000 block of Purity Road NE after an investigation indicated that a female victim had escaped a nearby home during a domestic dispute. First responders from the Mary Ann Township and Newton Township fire departments found two victims at the scene.
Sheriff Randy Thorp has urged residents not to confront the suspect under any circumstances and instead to call 911 if they see anything suspicious. The sheriff’s office is also asking anyone with information to share tips through its non-emergency contacts listed on the Licking County Sheriff’s Office site.
