Moses Lake men shot in Idaho

<center><b>Adam Johnson</b></center>

by Rick Thomas<br
| December 28, 2009 8:00 PM

COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho — A Coeur d’Alene man was charged with attempted murder following a shooting in downtown Coeur d’Alene early Sunday morning that sent two Moses Lake men to hospitals.

Adam Mathis Johnson, 25, of Coeur d’Alene, is being held at the Kootenai County Public Safety Building, Coeur d’Alene Police reported.

Brandon R. Burgess, 25, was upgraded from critical to serious condition Sunday night at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Bradley J. Phillips, 25, who sustained a gunshot wound to his knee, was taken to Kootenai Medical Center following the shooting on the sidewalk of Sherman Avenue.

Witnesses to the shooting indicated there was a verbal altercation between the suspect and the victims at The Underground bar earlier in the evening. After the shooting took place, the victims and other men overpowered Johnson and held him until police arrived.

“We were closing down and I heard the first shot,” said Justin Pratt, an employee of the Coeur d’Alene Eagles club. “I got a gut feeling, and peeked around the corner and heard four more shots.”

He saw the suspect throw the weapon onto the roof of Tito Macaroni’s, and when he looked out he saw a crowd of 20 to 25 people kicking and punching Johnson, who was also reportedly pushed head-long through a window at the restaurant.

It was not until later in the day Pratt heard that one of the victims was Burgess, who he described as a close friend.

According to police, the victims were visiting relatives in the city. Following the earlier altercation, Johnson left The Underground around 12:44 a.m. and the victims and several other males and females were walking south on Third Street toward Sherman Avenue. As they rounded the corner onto Sherman they came upon the suspect, who was walking east.

Witnesses reported the suspect exchanged words with the victims and then pulled a weapon and fired several rounds at that group of people. Police said at least five shots were fired from a .40 caliber handgun.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Coeur d’Alene Police at 769-2320.