White Settlement Police say a neighbor may have prevented an attack on a family and several churches when reporting a suspicious car last November. A man was arrested after a traffic stop November 26.
Police Chief Christopher Cook says someone called 911 before dawn that morning and reported a van was stopped outside a neighboring home, facing the wrong direction and parked illegally. Officers arrived and started talking to the driver.
Cook says an officer saw a gun in the driver's lap and a rifle in the passenger seat.
"He did what he could to deescalate the situation," Cook says. "Imagine this: You're there, suspicious vehicle call. The guy's not making a lot of sense. He's saying he has some spiritual issues going on."
Cook played body camera video from several officers showing the exchange. When the suspect tells the officer he was "dealing with some spiritual issues," the officer replies, "Okay. Tell me about that."
Cook says the officer had already seen the guns and called for backup.
"He engages in candid conversation, but while he's doing that, really, what the supervisor's doing is formulating a plan. 'How am I going to, first of all, disarm this guy so it doesn't go a different direction, and how do I safely get him out of the van?'" Cook says. "The bad guy never knew the officer saw his firearms."
Later in the conversation, the officer asks for the suspect's identification.
"I want your ID because when you're parked illegally, I want to know who I'm talking to," the officer said.
The suspect, later identified as Tino Ross, said he did not have identification. The officer tells Ross to get out of the car.
When backup arrived, Cook says they "executed their plan." He says the officer opened the door, grabbed the gun and pulled Ross from the van. Another officer grabs the rifle in the passenger seat.
In the back, Cook says officers found several improvised explosive devices. He says relatives of Ross lived at the house where he was parked. Cook says the investigation showed Ross was planning to set fire to the home and shoot people as they came outside.
Cook says the looked at Ross' phone and search history and believe he was planning to use the IEDs at churches in several cities across North Texas. Cook says Ross had visited several churches in the area and was "frustrated."
"I fully believe, based upon their actions, our officers at the scene, we saved lives that day, not only on that street, but we probably saved lives in other areas of North Texas," Cook says.
Ross lives in Oklahoma. Cook says White Settlement Police worked with ATF and the FBI on the investigation. They found material Ross may have used in building the IEDs at his apartment.
Cook says Ross is currently in jail in Wichita on state and federal charges.
"This suspect had body armor. This suspect had multiple guns, rifles, ammunition, three confirmed explosive devices, lots of commercial fireworks in his vehicle," he says. "Most concerning to us, he demonstrated his intent. This research he may have started in Oklahoma, but in his mind, he drove all the way here to carry out his plan."