ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A Swannanoa man has been convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers during a political event in October 2024 that featured a visit by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
A jury found Leif Brynolf Johnson, 55, guilty Thursday of two counts of felony assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of simple assault, following a four-day trial before Superior Court Judge Jacqueline D. Grant.
Grant sentenced Johnson to two consecutive suspended sentences of 30 to 48 months in prison. Instead of serving prison time, he will complete 36 months of supervised probation, 15 days in jail at the discretion of his probation officer and an anger management program. Johnson is also prohibited from contacting the victims.
The charges stemmed from an incident on Oct. 21, 2024, when local and state law enforcement officers were providing security for Trump’s motorcade in Swannanoa. According to investigators, Johnson caused a public disturbance, yelling at attendees and confronting individuals nearby. When a 12-year-old asked him to stop yelling at an elderly veteran in a wheelchair, Johnson allegedly screamed in the juvenile’s face and spit on him.
Mississippi State Highway Patrol troopers, who were assisting local agencies after Tropical Storm Helene, intervened and attempted to escort Johnson away from the scene. Johnson then pulled a 4-inch stainless steel knife from his waistband before being wrestled to the ground by troopers, who safely disarmed him.
He was taken into custody by the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
“The defendant’s behavior endangered a child, threatened peaceful citizens, and resulted in a dangerous confrontation with Mississippi State Troopers that, fortunately, due to their professionalism, did not escalate further,” Assistant District Attorney Kyle Sherard said in a statement. “We are grateful for the assistance of Mississippi State Troopers who assisted local law enforcement agencies in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene,” Assistant District Attorney Kyle Sherard said.
The Asheville Police Department also thanked the Mississippi troopers for their continued assistance following the storm and during the 2024 political event.
