A man has been sentenced to several years in prison following the release of a toxic gas during a theft at a Michigan grocery store.
Alexae Johnson was sentenced Thursday to five to 50 years in prison, court records show.
Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to retail fraud and placing an explosive device with intent to alarm, according to local authorities.
The event occurred on September 24, 2024, at the Meijer supermarket located in Fruitport Township. Officers arrived at the store after receiving a report of an unidentified toxic gas. Upon investigation, they discovered a small gas cloud within the store that emitted a strong chlorine odor. A plastic bottle was found in the home goods section, which authorities believe contained “swimming pool type chemical(s) combined inside the bottle,” according to the Fruitport Township Police Department.
Four people were treated at a local hospital and were later released.
Authorities stated that the chemical cloud was used as a diversion to facilitate theft. Surveillance footage showed Johnson committing theft simultaneously with the release of the gas cloud.
