JOHNNY CARSON ARRESTED FOR THEFT AND ASSAULT AT KNOXVILLE DOLLAR GENERAL
The King of Late Night? Not quite.
On October 6, 2025, at approximately 1 p.m., Knoxville Police Department officers arrested 42-year-old Johnny Carson following a theft and aggravated assault at a Dollar General on Elm Street. According to the store manager, Carson filled a basket with merchandise and exited through the emergency door.
When confronted, he displayed a handgun in his waistband, made threats, and fled in a vehicle with the stolen items. Officers later located and stopped the suspect vehicle near Washington Avenue and Chestnut Street, finding Carson and a woman inside. A search revealed a backpack containing a loaded handgun, and Carson was still wearing the same clothes from the theft.
With multiple prior felony convictions, including aggravated assault, Carson faces charges of two counts of theft, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The woman in the vehicle was charged with driving on a revoked license.
