Charges: 42-year-old man left knife tucked in corner of Forest Lake High School bathroom
A man who was seen going into a bathroom at Forest Lake High School has been charged with bringing a dangerous weapon onto school property.
Eric Johnson, 42, of Forest Lake, is accused of stashing a camouflage knife in a boys' bathroom on Tuesday, Dec. 6. He was charged in Washington County District Court on Wednesday with possessing a dangerous weapon on school property – a felony that carries a maximum sentence of up to five years if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, Johnson was seen at the high school around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, which wasn't concerning to staff because students were still arriving for classes during that time.
"Defendant was later seen walking away from the building, and a review of surveillance video showed that Defendant had walked into the building and continued into a restroom area," the criminal complaint says.
He was inside the bathroom for about 15 minutes and then left the school.
Police stopped Johnson and found a compass end cap in his pocket, which fit together with the camouflage knife that was found in a sheath, tucked in the corner of a bathroom stall. Also found in the bathroom was a shirt with a name on it and cut up clothing.
It's unclear why Johnson left the knife and other items in the bathroom.
