Trevon Johnson accused of kidnapping ex-girlfriend at Mall of America transit station
UPDATE (Dec. 18, 2023): Trevon Johnson's charge was dropped in this case as part of a plea deal. He was sentenced to over 25 years in prison in connection to two shootings.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- A man is accused of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend at the Metro Transit station at the Mall of America on Monday.
According to court documents, Trevon Johnson, 23, and his ex-girlfriend had broken up several weeks before, and again earlier on Monday. He was trying to call her several times, but his ex-girlfriend told him to leave her alone. She said she was going with her friends to the Mall of America.
Johnson allegedly found the woman and her friends at the Metro Transit station, and grabbed his ex-girlfriend by the neck. Witnesses described Johnson choking the woman and forcefully taking her up the escalators and out to the first floor parking ramp.
The friends heard the woman screaming from inside a tan SUV, the documents go on to say. However when they tried to help her, Johnson said "I am going to shoot all of you." The witnesses said there was a handgun in his waistband.
According to the complaint, Johnson then assaulted his ex-girlfriend in the back seat of the car. He threatened to shoot her and hit her in the head with the gun twice, the woman later told police. Johnson also told her "I'm going to kidnap you."
The man sitting in the driver's seat of the car, 23-year-old Antwan Hopson, Jr. then drove the SUV away from the mall and dropped the woman off in Golden Valley. The woman was able to then call for help, documents say.
RELATED: These are the security measures implemented by the Mall of America
A third man named in the criminal complaint says he called the woman's friends while Hopson Jr. was driving the SUV. He allegedly told the friends that she would be okay, but would not give their location.
"You cannot commit these crimes in Bloomington and expect to enjoy the benefits of a free society," said Bloomington Police Chief booker Hodges.
The three were arrested on Tuesday in Minneapolis. Johnson and Hopson Jr. are both charged with one count of kidnapping in Hennepin County.
Johnson has been wanted since early May, when he allegedly shot someone multiple times outside a Minneapolis Light Rail station. Hodges says he's also been involved in a number of other shooting incidents.
"It can be frustrating for our officers too. We're out here running around chasing this guy - he's armed. He's already alleged to have shot some person. Now he's alleged to have kidnapped another one. It's tough," Hodges said.
The woman is safe and is recovering, police say.
The Mall of America added additional security measures in late 2022 after three shootings took place on the premises in the span of a year. Guns are banned at the mall.
Women's Advocates
Crisis Line: (651) 227-8284
St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project
Crisis Line: (651) 645-2824
Minnesota Day One
Crisis Line: 1-866-223-1111
Esperanza United
Bilingual crisis line: (651) 772-1611.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
