Warrants, standoff lead to arrest
Posted/updated on: May 19, 2026 at 4:09 pm
WILLS POINT – The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man for aggravated assault near Wills Point on Friday after an hours-long standoff.
According to our news partner KETK and the sheriff’s office, deputies were sent out to County Road 3832,on the western edge of Wills Point, after reports of a reported verbal disturbance. When they arrived, he reportedly already left. The man was identified as 32-year-old John Cooper of Wills Point. Deputies learned that Cooper had active arrest warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
At around 4:43 p.m. on Friday, the sheriff’s office said deputies found Cooper at a travel trailer north of Wills Point. Deputies attempted to contact Cooper for over two hours, but he wouldn’t come out.
Deputies then decided to get a search warrant so they could go inside to arrest him.
Deputies then shot tear gas canisters into the trailer just before they went in and arrested Cooper at around 8:29 p.m. on Friday.
Cooper was evaluated outside of the gassed trailer by EMS and then taken to the Van Zandt County Jail for two aggravated assault with a deadly weapon warrants and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon warrant.
