Man Bashes Employee’s Face While Stealing Boots in Missoula

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On October 11, 2023, a Missoula Police Department officer was dispatched to a reported shoplifting at Walmart on Mullan Road. The complainant advised a female had taken possession of fake eyelashes and went into the bathroom with them. A male who was accompanying the female suspect took a pair of new boots, put them on, and put his old shoes into the shoe box. The pair then went to the self-checkout kiosk where they were confronted by a Walmart employee who was then assaulted by the male suspect. The pair then fled the store. 

The officer responded to Walmart and saw the employee was bleeding from the chin and was being treated by medical personnel. The officer reviewed the surveillance footage. The male suspect turned around and threw his fist and forearm at the employee’s face. The employee was knocked backwards by the blow and the suspects fled. The male suspect was still wearing the stolen boots, which were valued at $54.98. 

The officer reached out to another Walmart Loss Prevention Officer who worked at another Walmart location. He provided her the photographs of the suspects, and she readily identified the male suspect as 30-year-old Travis Johnson. She informed the officer that Johnson had committed a theft the night prior at her Walmart store. She further reported that the female suspect had used a debit card with the name S.C. The officer also learned that Johnson had been previously trespassed from all Walmart stores on August 8, 2023. 

Later that evening, law enforcement officers were dispatched to T&T Rentals for a suspected trespass. The business owner advised there were several people on scene whom he suspected were attempting unlawful entry into storage units. An officer investigated and discovered the male and female suspects were Johnson and S.C.  

The officer noticed Johnson was still wearing the boots that had been stolen and was in the same t-shirt as the Walmart surveillance video. The officer pointed out Johnson’s boots and Johnson admitted he had not paid for them. 

Johnson was placed under arrest and was transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. He is currently being charged with felony aggravated burglary.  

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.