MURRAY – What started as a cry for help ended in disaster one late-August evening last summer when law enforcement officers responded to a welfare check at a Johnson Boulevard home after a crisis hotline worker alerted authorities that a man at the residence was experiencing a mental health crisis. The situation quickly escalated into a standoff, during which the man allegedly opened fire on officers, who returned fire, critically injuring him.
Nearly seven months later, Matthew Johnson, 40, who survived his injuries but is now confined to a wheelchair, faces charges of wanton endangerment, terroristic threatening and four counts of attempted murder.
On Aug. 23, 2024, at 4:13 a.m., the Murray Police Department (MPD) alerted the community of an “active incident” on the 1300 block of Johnson Boulevard in a Facebook post and urged motorists to avoid the area.
By daybreak, the “incident” was over, but the law enforcement presence, which included the Kentucky State Police (KSP), Marshall County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and MPD, remained heavy throughout the day, with the street closed to through traffic from Sunny Lane to Whitnell Avenue.
All three law enforcement agencies issued press releases that day, but details were scant. What was clear was that MPD was dispatched to Johnson Boulevard around 10 p.m. the night before. When officers arrived on scene, they found the man brandishing a firearm, which he allegedly pointed at the officers before barricading himself inside the residence. MPD requested assistance from the Marshall County Special Response Team (SRT) and obtained an arrest warrant.
At some point after SRT arrived, the man allegedly opened fire on them, striking one officer multiple times. The remaining officers returned fire, striking the man, who sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted out-of-state for treatment. The officer was treated locally for non-life-threatening injuries and released. Per MCSO policy on officer-involved shootings, KSP was contacted to investigate.
On Sept. 5, with preliminary interviews complete and investigators’ initial findings submitted, KSP provided more details in a press release, which, among other things, identified Johnson as the suspect.
According to KSP, MPD officers arrived at the Johnson Boulevard home around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 and encountered Johnson. During their interaction, Johnson allegedly pointed a rifle toward the officers, who retreated for cover, then he barricaded himself inside the home. At that point, MPD requested SRT’s assistance. MPD also secured a warrant for first-degree wanton endangerment and third-degree terroristic threatening.
Both MPD and SRT officers attempted to negotiate with Johnson with assistance from the crisis hotline operator but were ultimately unsuccessful as “Johnson refused to cooperate or work toward a peaceful resolution,” according to KSP.
Four and a half hours after the initial dispatch call went out, SRT officers deployed gas into the residence. Johnson allegedly responded by firing his rifle at the officers, hitting one in the arm and leg, causing non-life-threatening injuries. The remaining three officers then returned fire.
“Johnson was struck by officer gunfire and injured but remained inside the residence, ignoring officers’ requests to surrender for some time,” the release states. “Eventually, Johnson surrendered, at which time he was flown to a hospital in Nashville for medical treatment.”
Johnson was arrested Feb. 17 on the complaint warrant issued the night of the incident, which charged him with wanton endangerment and terroristic threatening, and an indictment warrant dated Dec. 20, charging him with four counts of attempted murder of a first responder. Johnson is being held in the Calloway County Detention Center on a $250,000 cash bond, which was set by the grand jury in the indictment.
On Feb. 18, he was arraigned in Calloway District Court on the wanton endangerment and terroristic threatening charges, which are in a separate case from the attempted murder charges as those charges came from a direct submission to the grand jury after KSP completed its investigation.
Calloway District Judge Randall Hutchens denied Johnson’s request for a public defender and instructed him to seek private counsel before his preliminary hearing on Feb. 26, but when Johnson appeared on the 26th, he advised the court that he was unable to find an attorney.
“I’m going to find good cause to continue your preliminary hearing because I want you to have a lawyer,” Hutchens said. “You need one upstairs (in circuit court). You need to get a lawyer for both these cases; I assume they’re somewhat related. … So, let’s talk about you need to get a lawyer this week.”
Johnson advised that he could not find an attorney who could meet with him before Monday.
“Well, Monday’s when you’re going to be upstairs,” Hutchens said, again referring to the circuit courtroom located on the second floor of the Calloway County Judicial Building. “You’ve got court in front of me, obviously, today, but we can put that off a week; but you’ve got court upstairs Monday as well, and that’s your bigger issue. … You need to have a lawyer next week. I’m trying to protect your rights, and one of the things you need is a lawyer.”
In Calloway Circuit Court on Monday, Johnson appeared for his arraignment without an attorney. After Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney James Burkeen informed the court of the proceedings in district court, noting that Hutchens strongly advised Johnson to secure representation prior to Monday’s proceedings, Calloway Circuit Judge Andrea Moore asked Johnson why he had not yet obtained counsel.
“This is just a short list of who I’ve been in contact with,” Johnson said as he held up a piece of paper, “and the vast majority of them (believe they have) a conflict of interest because they’ve represented the police before; and then (for) some of them, it’s a distance issue; and (for) some, it’s financial issues – you know, $50-70,000 for representation that I just don’t have right now.”
Johnson further advised that he had an appointment scheduled with an attorney later that day, noting “that will be the first lawyer that’s actually agreed to meet with me.”
Moore said that she would not give him long and continued the arraignment to the next rule day, Monday, March 17, but warned, “By that time, you need to have counsel hired, okay?”
“And if I can’t, ma’am?” Johnson asked. Moore said that if he was still unable to hire an attorney by that time, she would consider “something different.”
Back in district court Wednesday, Johnson appeared alone, again, for his preliminary hearing. When asked why there was no attorney present, Johnson said he found someone who will take the case, “but it won’t be until about September before I have the $30,000 to…”
“Alright,” Hutchens said, cutting the defendant off. “You have the right to a preliminary hearing. You can waive that preliminary hearing and send the matter to the grand jury, but that’s up to you. Would you like to talk to the Commonwealth’s Attorney before we proceed? … He doesn’t represent you; he’s the prosecutor. Do you want to talk to him before we have the hearing?”
Johnson declined, and the hearing began. Burkeen called MPD Patrol Officer Jacob Kramer, who was one of the officers who responded to the initial call, to testify. His testimony only pertained to the district court charges of wanton endangerment and terroristic threatening, not the attempted murder charges in Johnson’s circuit court case.
After establishing venue, Burkeen asked Kramer to explain the events that occurred the night of the incident.
“We were contacted by the suicide hotline in regards to a male subject that had contacted them,” Kramer testified. “We attempted to make contact at the front door. It appeared as if somebody was home. We continued to attempt to make contact. At one point, Mr. Johnson had crossed over into the living room, and we were able to have eyes on him. … I was at the back door of the residence, and Mr. Johnson had went to the back door of the residence. I was on the neighbor’s property to the west of that address, and he had opened the door and stepped out and told me, ‘Get the f— off my lawn.’ … I attempted to make contact with Mr. Johnson, but then he ran into residence and shut the door.”
Other officers then observed Johnson go into the east end of the home but then lost sight of him. At some point after that, according to Kramer’s account, he reappeared, armed with a rifle, which he pointed the rifle in the direction of one of the officers. They took cover, and an hours-long stand-off ensued. MPD was assisted by the SRT and the Paducah Bomb Squad, Burkeen confirmed.
“The terroristic threatening was based on the comment (to officers about getting off his lawn), and then, more importantly, the wanton endangerment is pointing a rifle directly at an officer, is that correct?” Burkeen asked, seeking to clarify the basis of the charges.
Kramer confirmed the wanton endangerment charge stemmed from Johnson allegedly pointing his rifle directly at one of the officers but said the terroristic threatening charge was also connected to alleged threats Johnson communicated to police via the suicide hotline.
“He was telling the suicide hotline – which was being relayed back to the Murray Police Department – that, at first, if we entered the residence, that he was going to open fire on us; and then, after that, it was if we did not leave, he would open fire,” Kramer said.
Burkeen had no further questions.
“Mr. Johnson, you don’t need to testify now – you need to wait until you have an attorney – you have the right to remain silent,” Hutchens advised, “but if you would like to ask the officer a question, you may do so. Would you like to ask a question?”
Johnson declined, and Hutchens ruled, “The court finds probable cause, binds the matter over to the grand jury. … Good luck, sir.”
Johnson’s next appearance will be Monday, March 17, at 8:30 a.m. in Calloway Circuit Court.
Individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or text SAVE to 741741.
