Police arrest man accused of cutting store employee with knife

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - North Charleston Police arrested a 36-year-old man accused of trying to steal merchandise and cutting a store employee with a knife.

Christopher Lee Johnson of Moncks Corner is charged with armed robbery, second-degree assault and battery and possession of a knife during the commission of a violent crime, according to jail records.

Police responded to the Rivers Avenue Dollar General store Monday morning at approximately 11:21 a.m. in reference to an armed robbery, an incident report states.

A witness told police a man, later identified as Johnson, came up to the counter with a green cooler that contained several other items, the report states. The cashier informed Johnson she would have to ring up each item in the cooler and he told her all of the items were a dollar, the report states.

Police say Johnson's debit card was being declined and another employee, the victim, told Johnson he could go get money to purchase the merchandise. At that point, the victim said Johnson grabbed the cooler. When the victim also attempted to grab the cooler, Johnson swiped at him with a knife and cut him, then left the store and fled on foot along Rivers Avenue, the report states.

The victim showed police a three-inch cut to the right side of his abdomen, the report states. He was treated by EMS.

Police later spotted Johnson based on the description given by employees at a convenience store on Rivers Avenue.

Johnson was being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center.