Gulfport Man Arrested After Armed Carjacking and Kidnapping

GULFPORT – A Gulfport man is behind bars after police say he stole a vehicle during a test drive and kidnapped a dealership employee at gunpoint.

According to the Gulfport Police Department, the incident happened around 10:44 a.m. on September 8, 2025, on Dedeaux Road. Investigators said 33-year-old Reginald Donovan Johnson posed as a potential customer and asked to test drive a vehicle. During the drive, Johnson allegedly pulled out a gun, forced the employee to drive to another location, and then stole the victim’s cellphone at gunpoint before forcing them out of the vehicle.

Johnson then fled in the stolen car, police said. Detectives were able to identify him as the suspect during their investigation, and he was later taken into custody without incident. Officers also recovered the stolen vehicle.

Johnson has been charged with one count of armed robbery, one count of armed carjacking, and one count of kidnapping. He was booked into the Harrison County Adult Detention Center, where Judge Fountain set his bond at $1.5 million.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Gulfport Police at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.