Intruder barges into home, gets disarmed and beaten by homeowner, Florida cops say

Mark Price
·2 min read
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An armed man tried to intimidate a Florida homeowner by kicking in his door, but it was the intruder who was sent running for his life, according to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.

The homeowner not only disarmed the man, but also used the butt of the gun to pistol whip him, the sheriff’s office said in a July 22 news release.

Eric William Johnson, 32, was found hiding in a shed and has been charged with multiple felonies, officials said.

Investigators say the home intrusion happened Wednesday, July 19, after Johnson came to a Homosassa neighborhood carrying “an AR-15 style rifle” and pretending to be a Citrus County sheriff’s deputy. Homosassa is about 70 miles north of Tampa.

His first stop was a camper, where he knocked on the door, identified himself as a deputy, and forced a man and woman out at gunpoint, officials said. The couple quickly became suspicious and the man ran “to the nearest home for help,” officials said.

“Johnson chased after the male victim and kicked in the door of the home the victim entered,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Once inside, a fight between the victim, the homeowner, and Johnson ensued. The homeowner disarmed Johnson and struck Johnson in the head with the buttstock of the weapon.”

Johnson fled and drove away with an accomplice waiting nearby in an SUV, officials said. The driver was found at a home and he told deputies “Johnson was hiding in a nearby shed.”

“After failed attempts to gain compliance, K-9 Deputy (David) Elias released K-9 Odie to apprehend Johnson. As K-9 Odie grabbed Johnson, he positioned his gun underneath K-9 Odie’s chin and pulled the trigger,” officials said.

“When the gun malfunctioned, he reloaded the gun and pulled the trigger again. After the second malfunction, the deputies moved in and gained control of Johnson.“

According to officials, Johnson, who lives in Homosassa, has been charged with:

  • home invasion robbery while armed

  • two counts of kidnapping to commit a felony

  • burglary of a dwelling while armed

  • aggravated assault on a person 65 years of age or older

  • aggravated assault with a deadly weapon

  • hinder, delay, or prevent communication to law enforcement

  • impersonating law enforcement

  • battery on police canine

  • resisting law enforcement without violence.

The SUV driver was arrested and charged with home-invasion robbery while armed with a weapon and principle in the first degree, officials said.

Investigators say the “AR-15 style rifle” used during the home invasion was an “Airsoft” rifle, which are considered toys that fire non-lethal projectiles.

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