In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Shreveport, Louisiana, the life of 23-year-old Malcolm Cooper, an African American male, was tragically cut short. On March 29, 2020, just before 11:00 p.m., Shreveport Police officers were dispatched to the Bayou Oaks Apartments following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Cooper outside one of the apartment buildings, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He was quickly transported to Ochsner LSU Health Hospital, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after his arrival.
The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office later confirmed Cooper's identity. An autopsy determined that the cause of his death was the multiple gunshots he sustained. Investigators began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to the fatal shooting. They canvassed the apartment complex, searching for any potential witnesses and video footage that might shed light on the circumstances of Cooper’s death. In the immediate aftermath, there were no known eyewitnesses to the incident itself, making the initial stages of the investigation challenging.
As the investigation progressed, detectives were able to gather enough evidence and information to identify a primary suspect. This led to the issuance of an arrest warrant for 17-year-old Demarcus Upshaw, who was subsequently charged with one count of second-degree murder. The case against those believed to be responsible for Cooper's death continued to build, and eventually, three other young men were indicted in connection with the crime. Roszereo Lajuan Seamster IV, also 17, and 19-year-old Jontavious Jacquez Beaner were both charged in connection with the murder. Additionally, 20-year-old Reginald Demond McCullough Jr. was indicted for his role as a principal to the attempted armed robbery of Malcolm Cooper on the same night he was killed.
