Eastern Kentucky man arrested after allegedly shooting man during bar fight
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A Pikeville bar shooting around 2:30 a.m. left a man wounded in the leg and hospitalized.
- Court records identify Brian Johnson charged with attempted murder and related counts.
- Police found a gun and shell casings at the scene; an extended magazine was in his bag.
An Eastern Kentucky man was arrested Sunday morning after police say he shot another man during a bar fight.
The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. at Klarissa’s Bar on North Bypass Road in Pikeville. First responding officers at the bar found a man with a gunshot wound in his leg, and he was sent to a hospital, according to the Pikeville Police Department.
Investigators were able to determine that the shooting happened after a fight between two people. Police said one person pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots.
Police didn’t provide the identity of the shooter, but court records indicate that Brian Johnson, 27, of Beaver, is charged in connection with the incident. He is charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment and possession of a loaded firearm in a room where alcohol is sold, according to police.
Johnson told detectives he believed he needed to shoot the victim after threats were made, according to his arrest citation. The victim also spoke to detectives, and he said Johnson had been making threats towards him and other people at the bar.
Police said Johnson’s gun, magazine and shell casings were found at the scene. Court documents say detectives found an extended magazine with multiple rounds inside Johnson’s bag.
Alcohol is believed to have been involved in the incident, according to court documents.
Johnson is being held at the Pike County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond. His next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary hearing in Pike District Court May 14, according to court records.
