Suspect charged after police say possible mass shooting was prevented

EMILY SHAPIRO and ALEX STONE
·2 min read
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A suspect has been charged with possession of a high-powered weapon and making criminal threats after a cache of high-powered rifles, shotguns and handguns were recovered at a man's Los Angeles apartment.

Braxton Johnson, 25, was arrested for criminal threats on Thursday, according to police.

Authorities initially said a mass shooting may have been thwarted, but the Los Angeles Police Department later issued a statement saying, in part: "At this point of the investigation, there are no indications that any persons were threatened with a firearm nor have we identified any intent by Johnson to plan a mass shooting incident."

On Tuesday morning, officers in Hollywood responded to a call from building security of a man making threats, according to law enforcement sources.

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The officers "determined the elements of Criminal Threats had been met" and they obtained a search warrant, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Police said they recovered "several high-powered rifles, shotguns, handguns and a large cache of various munitions" in the home. Some guns were found in front of a window, according to law enforcement sources.

PHOTO: Hollywood police seized weapons, including several high-powered rifles, shotguns, handguns and a large cache of various munitions, during a search in Los Angeles, Jan. 31, 2023. (Los Angeles Police Dept.)
PHOTO: Hollywood police seized weapons, including several high-powered rifles, shotguns, handguns and a large cache of various munitions, during a search in Los Angeles, Jan. 31, 2023. (Los Angeles Police Dept.)

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Lt. Leonid Tsap had told reporters, "There's a high chance that the officers, and obviously security staff and the people who called, prevented a mass shooting from happening."

Johnson was set to be arraigned later in the day on with two counts of possession of an assault weapon, one count of criminal threats and one count of solicitation of murder, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.

"Los Angeles County is still reeling over the tragic mass shooting in Monterey Park," the DA said in a statement. "Were it not for the brave actions of the witnesses in this case, this could have also been an incredible tragedy

Johnson served in the Army as an Infantryman from July 2016 to February 2020, according to an Army spokesperson. He had no deployments.

ABC News' Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.

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