JOHNSON COUNTY, Texas — A man is dead and a sheriff’s deputy was injured after gunfire broke out while crews were battling a mobile home fire early Wednesday morning near Burleson.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. on April 8, 2026, Johnson County deputies and numerous fire agencies responded to a residential fire in the 5400 block of County Road 605. The fire was reported to be so intense that multiple departments were called in to assist with suppression efforts.
Agencies responding to the scene included the Johnson County Fire Marshal’s Office, Johnson County ESD #1, Briar Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, Rendon Volunteer Fire Department, Alvarado Fire Department, Venus Fire Department, Keene Fire Department, and Joshua Fire Department.
Around 2:40 a.m., while firefighters were still working to extinguish the fire, first responders reported hearing gunfire near the residence. Deputies began investigating and encountered 75-year-old William James Rogers, who was armed with a pistol.
Authorities said an exchange of gunfire occurred between Rogers and deputies. Rogers was killed during the incident.
A Johnson County deputy was injured when bullet shrapnel struck his face. He was transported to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, where he was treated and later released.
According to records, Rogers lived at the mobile home that caught fire. Property records list the home’s owner as his wife, Teresa Rogers, who passed away in February 2024.
The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting at the request of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident remains under investigation.
