‘Would-be killer’: Man who tried to shoot, kill Edinburgh police officer gets 45 years in prison

EDINBURGH, Ind. — An Indiana man who tried to shoot and kill a police officer last year in Edinburgh has been sentenced on an attempted murder charge after his rifle malfunctioned.

Joshua A. Burton, 28, was arrested by Edinburgh Police Department officers on Dec. 27, 2023, after a traffic stop ended with him attempting to shoot and kill officers.

Court documents show that officers had pulled Burton over in Johnson County for several traffic violations. As the responding officer was leaving his squad car, he saw Burton had gotten out of his car and was running at him with an AR-15-style rifle in hand.

Burton then attempted to shoot the officer, but thankfully his rifle jammed.

“The officer stated that while he was getting cover, he observed Burton drop the firearm to his waist to clear it due to a malfunction,” the prosecutor’s office said. “Officers apprehended Burton soon after and later discovered that the primer of a round ejected from the firearm appeared to have been stuck.”

Burton was then arrested and booked into the Johnson County Jail without further incident. The Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office officially charged Burton with attempted murder on Jan. 4 —a Level 1 Felony charge that he was found guilty of on June 26 after a two-day trial.

Now, Burton will spend the next 45 years in prison.

Johnson County Superior Court No. 2 Judge Peter Nugent imposed the sentence on Thursday, July 25. A sentencing enhancement was given to Burton for using a firearm.

“I am pleased to see this would-be killer going away for a long, long time,” Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner said. “For the next four decades, our citizens will not have to worry about Mr. Burton shooting at them or at the men and women who protect them.”

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