By Pat Culverhouse

An investigation into a shooting incident late Thanksgiving night has been concluded with the arrest of a man who was providing security at a local business.

Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said 37-year-old Percy Holladay Johnson of Bossier City, a security guard for a Bossier City-based security firm, was taken into custody Tuesday. He reportedly was arrested after a secondary interview conducted by MPD Det. Matthew Hicks.

Johnson reportedly is charged with aggravated second degree battery, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities and aggravated criminal damage to property. He is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center under a $200,000 bond.

McIver said officers responded to a call of a shooting shortly after 11 p.m. Thanksgiving night at Woo’s Daiquiri on Painter St. and learned a victim had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers also learned the bullet travelled through the victim and lodged in another subject’s boot. That person reportedly was not injured.

Detectives reportedly conducted interviews at the scene, then discovered a video of the incident had been posted to social media the day after the shooting. A review of the video reportedly uncovered inconsistencies in Johnson’s initial statement, leading to his arrest.

“We know business owners are trying to do the right thing when they hire private security, but there are advantages to hiring off-duty police officers,” McIver said. “Police officers are well-trained to handle large crowds and if there’s a problem, they can get backup quickly.”

McIver said the shooting incident is unfortunate, but things could have been worse.

“There was a large crowd present when the shooting occurred and it’s fortunate that no one else was seriously injured,” he said. “We can’t know what caused the person to decide to use his weapon, but shooting should be a last resort, not a first reaction.”

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.