In the early evening of June 8, 2015, the life of 20-year-old Dunta Marquis Barber, a Black/African American male from Greenville, South Carolina, was cut short by gunfire. The fatal encounter took place at the Boulder Creek Apartments just before 6:30 p.m. An altercation between Barber and another man who knew him, Tarece Lamark Cooks, escalated tragically. Cooks produced a handgun and shot Barber at least once.
Barber was rushed to Greenville Memorial Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries approximately 40 minutes later.
The investigation into Barber's death quickly focused on Cooks, thanks in large part to his own social media activity. In a Facebook post that was sent to local news outlet WYFF News 4 and later verified by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office, Cooks made statements about the shooting. While he apologized to Barber's loved ones, he also claimed he acted in self-defense. Witnesses had reported seeing a vehicle flee the scene after hearing gunshots, but Cooks clarified in his post, 'I do walk ups,' suggesting the shooting was not a drive-by.
The day after the shooting, on June 9, 2015, Tarece Lamark Cooks was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Investigators determined that he acted alone in the shooting. He was subsequently held without bond at the Greenville County Detention Center. The case highlighted the growing role of social media in criminal investigations, as Cooks' own online admissions became a key piece of evidence against him. Barber, a father of four, was remembered by a grieving family and community who questioned the senseless loss of his life.
