Christopher Johnson [BSO]
By Kevin Deutsch
A fleeing gunman fired bullets at two Margate Police officers, one of who returned fire during a foot chase, court records show.
Christopher Johnson, 34, of 5465 SW 11th St. in Margate, allegedly fired multiple shots at the officers as they pursued him through an apartment complex just outside Margate’s city limits in North Lauderdale.
One officer returned fire at Johnson with his department-issued firearm, according to an arrest affidavit.
Neither Johnson, the officers, nor any civilians were struck by bullets, the affidavit states.
Officers said their pursuit of Johnson began on Nov. 11 around 12:30 a.m. in an apartment complex in the 5400 block of Southwest 11th St. in Margate.
They saw Johnson “actively and negligently” firing his pistol, records state.
When he took off running across the Margate city line into North Lauderdale, they gave chase, according to the records.
North Lauderdale is the jurisdiction of the Broward Sheriff’s Office. But rather than allow Johnson to escape, the Margate officers kept up their pursuit.
They said they followed Johnson into an apartment parking lot in the 5400 block of Southwest 12th St. There, he turned and fired at the two officers, records show.
As Johnson darted between parked vehicles and buildings, one officer fired back, the affidavit states.
No one was hit.
A short time later, Johnson carjacked a man and woman in the same parking lot, pointing his gun at them and ordering them out of their black Nissan 4-door, police said.
The carjacking victims, from Coral Springs and Coconut Creek, were not hurt.
Johnson drove away.
Shortly after 1:30 a.m., Johnson tried to carjack another victim: a man parked at a gas pump at Cumberland Farms, 5485 W Atlantic Blvd. in Margate, the affidavit states.
“I need your car, they are after me,” Johnson told the man, according to police.
The driver pretended to cooperate with Johnson, then quickly drove away without injury, police said.
Johnson allegedly left the scene in the stolen Nissan. He was recognized in Fort Lauderdale by a police officer there around 1:54 a.m., pulled over, and arrested, records show.
Police said they found a Glock 43X 9-millimeter pistol in the stolen car. The gun had been reported stolen from Coral Springs, records show.
Johnson refused to speak with detectives about the crimes but did tell police the government had “implanted nanotechnology in his brain approximately four years ago, and he does not have control of his actions.”
Johnson was charged with two counts of attempted felony murder, two counts of armed carjacking, grand theft of a firearm, discharging a firearm in public, and fleeing from police.
Records show he was taken to the Broward Main Jail and ordered held without bail.
Got News? Send it to Margate Talk. Don’t miss reading Coral Springs Talk, Parkland Talk, and Tamarac Talk.
Author Profile
- Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning crime journalist and author. A graduate of Florida International University, Kevin has worked on staff at The Miami Herald, New York Daily News, and The Palm Beach Post.
Latest entries
NewsMarch 25, 2024Margate Appoints Michael Palma as Interim Chief in Wake of Harassment Scandal
PoliticsMarch 14, 2024Police Union Calls for Margate Chief’s Resignation After Votes of “No Confidence”
NewsMarch 1, 2024Report: Margate Police Chief Subjected Female Lieutenant to Harassment, Hostile Work Environment
NewsFebruary 27, 2024Margate Police Mourn Death of Decorated Sergeant
