Corporal William Pressley Cooper

William Pressley Cooper

Corporal Bill Cooper was shot and killed after he and several other officers responded to a domestic violence call involving an armed subject at a home on the 4700 block of Highway 253.

The subject opened fire on responding officers with a rifle, fatally wounding Corporal Cooper and wounding the Hackett Police Department's chief, and pinning down multiple other officers. Corporal Cooper was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. The subject surrendered and was taken into custody a short time later.

A police canine from the Greenwood Police Department was also shot during the incident when the suspect shot into the patrol car she was in. Her handler released the door lock to allow her to get out of the line of fire and she ran off, but she was found two days later suffering from two gunshot wounds.

On November 29, 2016, the suspect, 34, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole.

Corporal Cooper was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office for 19 years. He is survived by his wife and son.