Stephens, Ark. — On Monday, August 5, 2025, a multi-agency law enforcement response ended a 12-hour standoff with a barricaded suspect on County Road 105 in Stephens. No officers were injured, and the suspect was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) responded to a disturbance at a residence where Daniel Owens, 47, had barricaded himself after threatening a family member with a firearm. The OCSO requested assistance from the El Dorado Police Department (EPD) SWAT team. During the response, Owens fired a weapon at an EPD drone deployed for surveillance.
With the suspect continuing to refuse officers’ commands, additional support was requested from the Arkansas State Police (ASP) SWAT team around 6:30 p.m. During the ongoing standoff, Owens discharged multiple rounds at SWAT team members and struck an ASP Bearcat vehicle. Officers attempted to negotiate the suspect’s surrender and deployed a robotic device to establish contact, but Owens remained non-compliant and continued to fire at law enforcement, who returned fire.
ASP SWAT team members breached the residence and took Owens into custody. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was evaluated and determined not to have sustained any firearm injuries.
When Owens is discharged from the hospital, he will be held at the Ouachita County Detention Center and charged with Aggravated Assault and Attempted Capital Murder.
