FORT WORTH, TX - A Tarrant County jury earlier this month found Devoreia Emon Thompson, 34, guilty of aggravated assault against a public servant and sentenced him to 26 years in prison for opening fire on a Fort Worth police officer during a traffic stop.
The conviction stems from an incident on May 19, 2024, when Fort Worth police identified Thompson as a suspect in a shooting that had occurred the day before. An officer located Thompson’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. After following the vehicle for several streets, Thompson abruptly stopped in the 3000 block of South Edgewood Terrace, exited his car, and immediately fired at the officer.
The officer was not struck by bullets but was injured by flying glass shards and debris as gunfire shattered parts of the patrol vehicle. The officer returned fire as Thompson jumped back into his car and fled.
The officer pursued Thompson, but about a mile later the patrol vehicle became disabled on Miller Street. Other officers responded to assist. The officer, who suffered significant cuts, was treated at the scene and then transported to a hospital for further care.
Although Thompson initially escaped, investigators quickly identified him through vehicle and license plate information. His car was later located at a residence in the 5500 block of Summit Ridge Trail in Arlington, near Interstate 20 and SW Green Oaks Blvd. Officers established a perimeter around the home.
Police reported that Thompson ran from the main house to a nearby shed, where SWAT officers apprehended him without further incident. After his arrest, officers discovered Thompson had sustained a gunshot wound to his lower back. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and, once released, booked into the Tarrant County Jail, where he remained until trial.
Several weeks after the incident, the Fort Worth Police Department released body-worn camera footage documenting the officer-involved shooting.
