In the late afternoon of September 23, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the peace at the Bethel Midtown Village apartment complex in Athens, Georgia, leaving a young man's life cut tragically short. Ketorian Cooper, a 19-year-old African American male, was found in the breezeway of one of the buildings on Hickman Drive, suffering from a single gunshot wound.
Emergency services rushed him to a local hospital, but his injury proved fatal.
The investigation into Cooper's death moved swiftly, and Athens-Clarke County police soon had two suspects in custody. David Richard, 21, and Quatravis Hull, who was only 15 years old at the time, were both arrested and charged with murder. Investigators believed that the shooting was not a random act of violence, but rather the culmination of ongoing issues between Cooper and Richard, which had reportedly included a physical altercation a couple of months prior to the fatal encounter. While both suspects were believed to have been armed, authorities worked to determine who fired the shot that killed Cooper, who was reportedly unarmed.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a resolution to the case, though not without complexity, particularly concerning the younger suspect. Quatravis Hull, despite his age, was charged as an adult. Eventually, Hull pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and received a sentence of 15 years, with the first five to be served in confinement. His sentencing was structured under the Georgia Youthful Offender Act, which aims to provide rehabilitation and skills training. David Richard, identified as the primary shooter, entered into a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of probation. While the legal chapter of this case has closed, the motive was believed to be rooted in the ongoing animosity between Richard and Cooper.
