The strategy was to encourage him to draw his weapon. Why would you want to do that unless your wanted to kill him?
But, yes, I can think of scenarios set up like that....and although the guy drawing a weapon is a possibility, it's also not the only possibility.
As he seemed to be expecting an attack and wasn't all that stupid, the likely response to such a ploy would have been to ignore it. For all we know, he did.
You want to arrest a guy...any guy. He has repeatedly refused to cooperate. You still have the arrest warrant that needs to be done. How do you do it? The warrant being served was for threatening a neighbor with a gun. That sets the stage for law enforcement to be wary of the suspect. Add to that his reportedly saying on his show "If they ever come to get my guns, I'll be waiting for them" (or something to that effect). Don't even think about his anti-government slant.
Might be. I surely don't know.
So I guess I'm answering your question with a question.....with a guy (any guy, not just Mr. Cooper) resisting arrest on a lawful warrant.....what method would you recommend that is less risky? Should they have forced the issue at his house, with family around? If he is in town daily, getting him there might be an option. I got the impression that he didn't travel into town regularly, especially when he knew warrants were out for him. Is there anyway in which this could have turned into an acceptable law enforcement maneuver, given what we know?
There is a similar case in Texas where a man who refused to get a driver's license and allegedly (he denies it) pulled a gun on a deputy retired to his ranch with his wife, children and grandchildren. Now I suppose the sheriff's office could have tried a similar ploy and shot the fellow; but instead, the sherrif decided it wasn't worth it especially with the grandchildren around. So he left him alone for over a year now, basically under house arrest until he decides he no longer wants to be under house arrest. Keeping him isolated removes all danger to the neighbor and law enforcement.