BEECH GROVE — The 47-year-old man accused of shooting two police Beech Grove Police Department officers Monday night has a criminal history spanning three decades across multiple states.
According to Indiana State Police, the officers responded to a residence on Diplomat Court around 6 p.m. Monday for a domestic disturbance call.
When they arrived, they were shot in the doorway of the apartment.
Officer Brian Elliott, 33, was killed in the shooting. The Beech Grove High School graduate joined the police department in his hometown after serving for four years with the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
RELATED | 'The ultimate sacrifice': What we know about fallen Beech Grove Officer Elliott
A second Beech Grove officer was injured. WRTV learned the officer was taken to an Indianapolis hospital for treatment.
Kenneth Johnson was arrested and booked on preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder following the shooting.
Criminal history
Johnson's criminal record includes charges for weapons violations, drug offenses, and domestic battery dating back to 1996, according to court records from Wisconsin and Florida. No criminal records were found for Johnson in Indiana court records.
His earliest conviction came in 1996 in Milwaukee, where he was found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail with two years of probation.
Later that same year, Johnson was arrested for possession of THC and intent to distribute, but prosecutors declined to file charges.
In 2008, Johnson was arrested in Manatee County, Florida, for domestic battery. Police said Johnson grabbed his wife's throat and pushed her against a counter. Prosecutors declined to file charges in that case as well.
Johnson was arrested a second time in Manatee County in 2011. He was carrying a loaded gun without a permit. He told police he bought the weapon at a gun show. Johnson was sentenced to jail time already served, and he was forced to forfeit the firearm.
Later in 2011, Johnson faced another drug-related arrest in Florida for possession with intent to sell, but prosecutors again declined to file charges.
In 2018, Johnson was charged in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin for "maintain drug trafficking place," but there is no record of prosecution.
Court records show Johnson has an apartment in Indianapolis with a woman, though it's unclear how long he has been living in Indiana.
