On Saturday, February 1, 2025, at approximately 1:31 p.m., the Paris Police Department responded to a man with a gun call at a business located in the 200 block of 1st St. SW. Officers arrived within 30 seconds and apprehended the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Jesse James Thompson, who had been subdued by employees of the store.
Witnesses reported that Thompson entered the store and raised an AR-type rifle toward the business owner. Employees quickly tackled him and wrestled the weapon from his grasp. During the struggle, Thompson reportedly attempted to draw a semi-automatic handgun from his clothing, which was also confiscated by the employees.
Upon further investigation, police discovered that Thompson had arrived in a rented van, which contained several items of concern. Due to an electronic device emitting a beeping sound, the Plano Police Department Bomb Squad was called to assist. The area around the store was secured and expanded to include two city blocks as a precaution, with help from Paris Fire and EMS, Lamar County Sheriff Deputies, and Texas DPS officers.
At approximately 4:10 p.m., the Plano Bomb Squad arrived and confirmed that the items in the van were not explosive but destroyed some as a safety measure. Additional weapons, ammunition, a large sum of cash, and other items were also recovered from the van.
Thompson was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The investigation is ongoing, and the scene was cleared at 7:41 p.m. The rental van was transported to the Paris Police Department for further processing.
The Paris Police Department continues to investigate the incident.
