Joplin Police have identified the officer who died in the line of duty Tuesday.

Corporal Ben Cooper died after a shootout with a suspect near Rangeline Road and Fourth Street.

He leaves behind a wife and two daughters.

Police identified the suspect as Anthony R. Felix, 40, from Joplin.

Police were responding to a disturbance call.

They tried to arrest Felix, but he shot Cooper and another officer and stole a patrol car.

He later crashed it, and got into a second shootout.

Felix was shot and died.

A third officer was wounded.

Joplin Police say two officers remain in the hospital.

One officer is in critical condition and the other is in serious but stable condition.

Press Release

On March 8, 2022, at 1332 hours, officers responded to the area of 4th and Rangeline in regard to a
disturbance.

Once on scene officers contacted a subject who they identified as being involved in the disturbance.

As officers attempted to take the subject into custody, he shot two officers and fled the scene in a stolen patrol car.

Officers attempted to stop the fleeing suspect, who fired shots from the stolen patrol vehicle at pursuing officers, striking a patrol vehicle.

The suspect wrecked the patrol car shortly thereafter and fled on foot to the area of 9th and Connecticut.

Officers once again located the suspect, and he fired shots at officers, injuring one.

An officer returned fire and struck the suspect.

Three officers were transported with serious injuries.

One officer succumbed to his injuries yesterday afternoon.

Another officer is in critical condition, and another officer is in serious but stable condition.

Names of the two injured officers are withheld at this time.

The suspect is deceased.

There is no further threat to the public.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is currently investigating this incident.

Corporal Benjamin Cooper passed away March 8, 2022, from injuries received in the incident yesterday.

Corporal Cooper was a veteran officer of the Joplin Police Department, starting his career in 2003 before
transferring to a sheriff’s department in Colorado.

Corporal Cooper returned to the Joplin Police Department in 2013 and was promoted to Corporal in 2016.

Corporal Cooper leaves behind a wife and 2 daughters.

The deceased suspect is Anthony R Felix, age 40, of Joplin.