NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Metro Nashville police officer said he feared for his life after a man attacked him and tried to take his gun before a British police sergeant vacationing in the area rushed in to help, video shows.
The May 7 incident began when Officer Peter Kinsey spotted a man walking along an interstate exit ramp toward the highway. He issued instructions for the man to stop.
When the man kept walking, Kinsey got out of his cruiser and walked over to check on the man. The man then attacked Kinsey, attempting to throw punches and grab his gun.
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Body camera video released on May 11 shows the man pushing Kinsey to the ground and pinning him.
“I’ll use your gun on you,” the man can be heard saying.
He was able to get on top of Kinsey and fire a shot from the service weapon while it was still holstered,police said.
“It’s probably the closest near-death experience I can say I’ve had ... The [thought] going through my head was just, ‘He’s not going to get my gun away from me, and I’ll just have to hang on until somebody gets here.’” Kinsey said in a later interview.
Body camera video then shows an officer on vacation from the U.K., Kent Police Sgt. Taylor Johanson, arriving to assist. His assistance allowed Kinsey to get up and help take the man into custody.
Johanson also assisted in the arrest and stayed with Kinsey until other units arrived.
“I know that feeling of waiting when you can hear the sirens coming, and it feels like the longest time. So to be able to speed that up and give him the help that he needed, it means a lot to me,” Johanson said in an interview.
Johanson stated he was a repeat visitor to Nashville and had family members who lived there.
