Larynzo D. Johnson, a 26-year-old black man, has been charged on multiple counts of wanton endangerment for shooting two cops during the protests in Louisville. Johnson also faces two charges of assault on a police officer.
In the shooting spree, Major Aubrey Gregory was shot in the hip while another officer Robinson Desroches received critical bullet shots in the abdomen. However, Johnson was charged for his crime by the arresting officers. The charges could be upgraded according to a spokesman for the Jefferson County Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney.
Johnson Arrested After Witnesses Identified Him Running From the Spot
In the viral video of the shooting, a group of people was seen walking down the street when suddenly loud shots were heard in the background. The person recording the video was seen running away from the spot where the shooting took place.
According to the New York Post, Johnson's arrest citation stated that his actions "showed an extreme indifference to the value of human life" and put officers in danger of death or serious injury.
'The suspect was part of a crowd that had gathered at Broadway and Brook Street, where they set fires and would not disperse after being warned, the citation stated, adding that Johnson "intentionally used a handgun to fire multiple bullets at officers. Two officers with LMPD were struck by the bullets causing serious physical injury."
The arrest was made after the witnesses identified Johnson as the one who fired the handgun and fleeing the spot. The cops also recovered a pistol from his possession at the time of arrest.
The Courier Journal claimed that an examiner from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network were investigating the weapon and the shell casings of the fired shots recovered from the spot.
NPA Demands Johnson Should be Charged for Attempted Murder
Expressing anguish over the charges against Johnson, former cop Betsy Brantner Smith, who is also a spokesperson for National Police Association, told Daily Mail that the arrested accused should atleast be charged for attempted murder. "'A police officer shot in the gut, and a police officer shot in the hip, in the middle of violent riots and looting would indicate to me that that should be - at a minimum - attempted murder. Johnson's arrest citation says he 'intentionally used a handgun to fire multiple bullets at officers'. I don't know why that wouldn't be at least, with the one officer shot in the gut, attempted murder,' she said.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued to the outlet, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Jeffrey Cooke said that the cops who arrested Johnson, filed the initial charges against him. "I am sure that officers investigating the case filed what charges they felt appropriate at the time. If the case makes its way to our office for presentation to a grand jury, the assigned prosecutor will review the facts and can add additional charges, including attempted murder, if the facts support it,' he added.
Cooke further stated that ordinarily if someone intentionally shoots at someone with a firearm and hits them, the shooter would be charged with Assault in the First Degree. 'Depending on the facts, Attempted Murder could also be charged,' he said.
