Second Joplin Officer Will Not Survive Tuesday Shooting

Joplin, MO, Police Chief Sloan Rowland announced Thursday that a second Joplin officer will not survive wounds he suffered during a shooting Tuesday. Officer Jake Reed, a five-year veteran of the Joplin PD, was being kept alive Thursday for the purpose of organ harvesting and is expected to succumb once that is completed.

Cpl. Ben Cooper, who died Tuesday, and Reed were the two officers who responded to the call Tuesday afternoon reporting a disturbance at the Northpark Crossing shopping center and were shot shortly after making contact with Anthony Felix, 40, in the parking lot, the Joplin Globe reports.

Felix, who was carrying a gun when he was stopped, took the service weapon of one of the officers at some point in the confrontation and left the scene in a police car. A pursuit ensued during which he fired on and struck another police vehicle, wrecked the one he stole, then shot a third officer before being shot and killed himself.

That third wounded officer, Rickey Hirshey, remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition. He has been with the force for more than 20 years.

Rowland said Hirshey came upon Felix as he was attempting to steal another vehicle parked between two apartment buildings.

"Officer Hirshey pulled his patrol vehicle up in an attempt to box in the suspect to prevent his escape and to end his violent rampage," Rowland said. "The suspect fired through the patrol car window, striking Officer Hirshey in the face."

Rowland said Capt. William Davis left a position of cover just after Hirshey was hit, exposing himself to draw a better bead on Felix and put an end to his deadly shooting spree.