Photo credit: Sam Ross/theradioscout.com

In both cases, the homeowners drew guns on the suspect

Police arrested Brian Everett Johnson, 30, of Hampstead, N.H., after he allegedly broke into one house and tried to break into another, threatening one homeowner with a knife Sunday (2/4/24).

According to an East Greenwich police report released Monday morning, a man later identified as Johnson was holding a knife when he followed a Justin Road resident into his garage early Sunday morning and demanded his car, at which point the resident, who was carrying a pistol in a concealed ankle holster, took the gun out and pointed it at Johnson.

Johnson then dropped the knife, picked it up again and ran towards Division Road. In the incident, the resident, 59, accidentally fired the gun upwards just outside the garage. The resident told police, who were en route, that he’d cleared the weapon and laid it down unloaded.

Police began to search for Johnson when a call came in from a Shippeetown Road resident alleging there was a man in a white camo t-shirt outside their house, holding a rock and demanding entrance. According to the caller, the man was bleeding. Before police arrived, the intruder – who police identified as Johnson – broke a window and was trying to enter the house via a sliding glass door; the homeowner told police he drew a gun at Johnson.

When police arrived, including an officer from North Kingstown, they found the suspect trying to kick and punch the glass door at the back of the residence. Police said they heard glass breaking and, with a gun drawn, the EGPD officer ordered the suspect to step away from the door. Johnson crouched down and gained entry into the house. When police followed, they saw residents on one side of the kitchen and Johnson, covered in blood, on the other, with glass strewn all over the floor.

Police yelled to Johnson to lie down on the floor and he complied. While one officer continued to hold a gun on Johnson, the other officer put him in handcuffs. Because of cuts on Johnson’s arms, police called for EGFD rescue. Johnson told police he had a knife in his pocket, which police retrieved.

Johnson was taken by rescue to Kent Hospital. He refused to answer questions. Later police learned Johnson had been reported missing from Hampstead, N.H. He has been charged with two felony counts of breaking and entering, one felony count of robbery, one felony count of assault, two misdemeanor counts of vandalism, and one misdemeanor count of obstructing police.

Brian Everett Johnson