In the spring of 2017, the life of Jaquaz Cooper, a 23-year-old male, was cut short in a burst of gunfire in Florence, South Carolina. On the evening of Saturday, May 20, 2017, Cooper was in a vehicle on Church Street when violence erupted. He sustained gunshot wounds in what was reported to be a drive-by shooting. Rushed to the hospital for medical attention, Cooper ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Cooper's death quickly led to the identification of two
suspects. Within a day of the fatal shooting, Florence County Sheriff's deputies arrested 22-year-old Justice anquell Gaskins and 26-year-old Hakeem anuel Rush. Both men were charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in connection with the death of Jaquaz Cooper. They were taken into custody and held at the Florence County Detention Center.
Further details surrounding the circumstances of the shooting and the motive behind it were not extensively publicized. The case then moved into the judicial system. In January 2019, Hakeem Rush pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. He was subsequently sentenced to 24 years in prison for his role in the shooting. The outcome of the charges against Justice Gaskins is not as clearly documented in the available online sources.
