NEW ORLEANS — It was a Monday afternoon in late May when New Orleans police say Joe Cooper became the victim of a crime.
“Officers responded to a call of an attempted home invasion that resulted in the victim, Mr. Joe Cooper, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds,” third district commander, Lt. Ernest Luster said.
The shooting happened at Cooper’s home on St. Roch Avenue in Gentilly. According to Cooper’s wife, Leslie, someone knocked on the door asking about a package that may have been delivered there.
About a half hour after telling the man no package was there, Leslie says the man came back, this time with a second person and a gun.
“The third district detectives worked relentlessly to gather evidence and build a case,” Lt. Luster said.
That work and an anonymous Crimestoppers tip led police to Tyrin Wiltz, 28, of New Orleans.
He was caught last week in Slidell after a three-hour standoff at an apartment complex. Lt. Luster says Cooper’s wife was elated to hear about the arrest.
“She was very emotional because of the current medical condition that her husband is in, and she felt relieved knowing there will finally be some justice brought to her and her family," Lt. Luster said.
Earlier this month, Cooper told Eyewitness News her husband spent weeks in ICU and therapy after the shooting. He was progressing well at home, until a big setback.
“Joe had another stroke and a seizure that landed him back on a ventilator and back in ICU,” Cooper said.
Cooper said that’s related to those gunshot wounds when Joe saved her, by pushing two men out the couple’s front door.
“He took one bullet to the right chest, lung, liver, and diaphragm. He took two in one leg and one in another. These were AK-47 bullets,” Cooper said.
With the arrest of Wiltz, Lt. Luster says the NOPD isn’t ruling out another one.
“After surveillance footage, we saw that there may have been another accomplice. We’re still looking into that, to identify the additional suspect,” Lt. Luster said.
Wiltz is still being held in St. Tammany Parish. He is expected to be brought back to New Orleans to face charges related to the shooting and attempted home invasion.