Tuesday at 8:46 pm, Brownwood Police were called to an apartment in the 300 block of Bluffview on a report of a man entering an apartment with a gun.
The man who lived at the apartment stated someone began beating on and kicking his front door. According to the report, when the man cracked the door to see who it was 18-year-old Joseph Michael Lawrence shoved his way into the apartment. The victim’s wife had been in the shower. When she exited the shower, she entered the living room to find Lawrence shouting that he had a gun and was going to shoot and then run. The male victim yelled for Lawrence to leave, however Lawrence reportedly kept rambling and when finished told the couple that he was leaving and going to hide from police.
The victims called the police; they stated that they wanted to pursue criminal charges against the man. The couple noted the suspect had entered another apartment within the complex. As officers left the victims’ apartment, another woman who lived in the complex asked who the crazy man was that was beating on everyone’s doors.
Two officers carefully approached the apartment where the suspect was reported to have gone. There police located Lawrence who matched the victims’ description. He was searched and noted to be unarmed. When questioned the suspect appeared to have blood shot eyes and was rambling unintelligibly. He explained that he had drank a whole bottle of Canadian Mist and explained that he was an “out of control alcoholic”. According to the report, Lawrence didn’t remember why he had gone to the victims’ residence and showed regret for having drunk so much. Both victims positively identified the suspect. Given the dangerous situation, officers arrested Lawrence for Criminal Trespass of a Habitation.
