By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:03 BST, 15 May 2026 | Updated: 13:43 BST, 15 May 2026
This is the moment a British police officer jumped into action and saved an American cop from being attacked while holidaying in Nashville. Police Sergeant Taylor Johanson, of Kent Police, had not-long arrived in the States on May 7 when he saw Officer Peter Kinsey of the Metro Nashville Police Department getting into an altercation on the side of the road at around 8pm. Kinsey was injured after an altercation with a walker who was seen strolling on the side of an interstate road. The American cop tried speaking with the man, identified by US media as 43-year-old Joseph Rainey, but he ignored Kinsey's warning not to walk along the side of the busy road. Kinsey attempted to detain Rainey, and the altercation ensued. Local media reported that Rainey grabbed the cop's holstered gun and fired a round. No one was injured by gunfire, but upon seeing the incident, Johanson rushed in to assist the arrest. He also stayed with Kinsey as more Nashville police arrived. Kinsey told local media: 'It’s probably the closest near-death experience I can say I’ve had and probably the most traumatic on the street.' PS Taylor Johanson, of Kent Police, (pictured, left) was commended by John Drake, the chief of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (pictured, centre) for assisting Officer Peter Kinsey (pictured, right) Kinsey was injured during an altercation with a man walking on an interstate road (pictured)The British cop, who works in Kent Police's Community Safety Unit, said: 'I saw the car parked up and then I could see the fight on the floor. 'I think I had been on the flight for eight hours, so it took me a second to realise what was going on. Then I saw the man on top of the officer, assaulting him quite badly, so I decided to jump in, tackle him and take him on.'He joked: 'This was supposed to be a relaxing holiday away from my children but it started off quite the opposite!' His boss, Chief Constable Tim Smith, said: 'PS Johanson’s bravery in intervening in this incident was second to none. As a police officer you are never truly off duty and his natural reaction to run toward danger and assist is incredible. 'His skills and intervention no doubt helped to save an officer’s life and we are very proud of him. He is an asset to Kent Police.' And John Drake, the chief of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said of Johanson's bravery: 'Our police department is beyond grateful to PS Johanson for stopping to assist Officer Kinsey, and actively engaging to subdue the man who was assaulting him'The suspect had already managed to get his finger into the trigger guard and fire a round from the officer’s holstered pistol. PS Johanson miraculously appeared when Officer Kinsey needed help. I believe he likely saved our officer’s life.'
