In the summer of 2018, a tragic series of events led to the death of Cynthia Ann Fields, a 60-year-old Black/African American woman, inside her own home in Savannah, Georgia. On the evening of July 27th, what should have been a quiet night was shattered by the sound of gunfire, forever altering the lives of her family and community. Remembered by loved ones as a sweet and caring person, her sudden and violent death left a void in the hearts of many.
The incident unfolded when Savannah
police were investigating a nearby shooting. During their search for a possible suspect, they encountered a man who matched the description on the porch of Mrs. Fields' residence on Stratford Street. That man was later identified as her 20-year-old grandson, Chantz Cooper. A tense confrontation ensued between Cooper and an officer, which quickly escalated into an exchange of gunfire. In the midst of this shootout, a bullet struck Cynthia Fields while she was inside her home. Despite the immediate aid rendered by officers and emergency medical personnel, her injuries proved to be fatal, and she died at the scene.
In the aftermath of the tragic event, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting. A central question for investigators was the origin of the bullet that killed Mrs. Fields. While forensic tests were pending to make a definitive determination, Chantz Cooper was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged in connection with the initial shooting that police were investigating that evening. The charges brought against him included aggravated assault, attempted armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Ballistic evidence later confirmed that the shell casings from both the initial crime scene and the location of the fatal shootout were of the same caliber and matched the firearm used by Cooper. He also sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the exchange of gunfire and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
