Man threatens grocery store clerk with scissors
Published 11:07 am Thursday, November 16, 2017
A 17-year-old grocery store cashier was unharmed after a man held a pair of scissors to her throat Wednesday night, according to the Austin Police.
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Jeremy Reid Johnson, 49
According to Police Chief Brian Krueger, Jeremy Reid Johnson, 49, of Austin was arrested and is in Mower County Jail potentially facing charges of second-degree assault and false imprisonment.
Police and Mower County Sheriff’s deputies responded to multiple calls at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Jim’s Marketplace. Witnesses reported Johnson approached the cashier from behind and held some type of an edged weapon to her throat and chest area. Johnson ordered everyone to back away as he held the girl. Several witnesses said they believed Johnson was on something because he was rambling and saying strange things.
Law enforcement agents established a perimeter around the store and were able to see Johnson and the girl through the window. Officers then ordered Johnson to let her go. The cashier was eventually able to get away from Johnson and ran to the back of the store. Officers then arrested Johnson and retrieved the scissors he held to the cashier’s throat.
Johnson was transported to Mayo Clinic Health Systems. He was cleared and transported to the Mower County Jail.
Johnson told officers he had ingested plant food.
He has no relation to the victim and appears to have chosen her at random, according to Krueger.