Offutt car theft victim speaks out
Melissa Lindell
By: Melina Matthes
mmatthes@klkntv.com
The latest on Monday's deadly shooting at Offutt air force base near Omaha. It turns out, the man killed was from Lincoln.
Sarpy County officials say they tried to pull over 21-year-old Zachari Johnson of Lincoln Monday afternoon. But they say he took off and a chase ended here inside Offutt air force base south of Omaha. He was shot by a security guard. But hours before this happened, police say Johnson stole a car in Lincoln. We spoke to the owner.
"My heart goes out to the guy that stole it because he either…something wasn't right or he was in a really bad condition because he did some pretty desperate things," Gabriel Williamson said.
Lincoln police say he was driving a stolen 2007 Honda that was taken from this driveway from a neighborhood just north of 10th and Adams…they say the owner left the keys in the car. Neighbors say their cars were tampered with as well.
"I went to get gas in my truck and the gas cap was all buggered up on it and everything so it was pretty obvious that something had happened the night before," Geoff Jesch said.
Williamson says, "It makes me feel like I wasn't targeted ya know cause what if he'd been watching my house for a couple weeks or something scary like that but he clearly was just roaming the streets looking for something to take and I'm the idiot that left my keys out for him."
Sarpy county deputies and Bellevue police chased Johnson thru the base and that's when a security guard fired several shots. Johnson later died at an Omaha hospital. Air Force officials the guard was acting properly when he fired his gun at him.
Williamson says he does not want his car back. He says when authorities hand it over to him, he will more than likely sell it.