AndrewBlakeCrestview, Florida – Four male teenagers armed with a knife, guns and a roll of tape planned to kidnap a 17-year-old girl and rob members of a family but the father scared them off by firing several shots at them.
The 51-year old homeowner said his 17-year old daughter had called him Nov. 7 to tell him that someone had blocked the road to their house with barrels.
The obstacles were apparently an attempt to get the teenager out of her car. But instead of getting out of her car, she drove around them, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said.
The father heard his dogs barking a short time later, police said. Then the father saw his front motion-activated flood lights come on. He also heard what sounded like a car door closing.
The father went and got his gun. He spotted some men trying to force their way into his garage and fired three shots at the intruders. The intruders ran into the woods.
A neighbor saw a suspicious vehicle in the neighborhood and called the police with a description at about 10:30 p.m.
Sheriff’s deputies spotted the 2016 White Jeep Liberty on the highway and made a felony traffic stop.
Inside of the vehicle, police found latex gloves, facial masks and dark clothing.
The suspects are 19-year old Keilon Johnson, 17-year old Austin French, 16-year old Tyree Johnson, and 15-year old Kamauri Horn.
The sheriff’s investigation revealed the teenagers had planned to kidnap the teenage daughter. The goal was to first force her out of her car by blocking the road with barrels and garbage cans. They then planned to head to her house, confront and subdue her father – who they believed to be wealthy – and rob the home.
The four defendants are charged with attempted kidnapping and attempted home invasion robbery.
Keilon Johnson was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail. The other defendants were transferred to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility.