Javon Cooper, a 24-year-old male, was fatally shot on New Year's Day, January 1, 2020, in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. The incident, which also claimed the life of 27-year-old Malik Milburn and injured a woman, unfolded around 2:15 p.m. on the 4700 block of Griscom Street.
The violence reportedly erupted from a fistfight between two men.
As a crowd gathered to watch, a third man, believed to be a friend of one of the individuals fighting, pulled out a handgun and began firing into the group of onlookers. Cooper was struck twice in the chest and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Milburn also sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. A 32-year-old woman, an innocent bystander, was also shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries to her arm and hand.
Following the shooting, the gunman fled the scene on foot. An investigation into the double homicide was launched by the Philadelphia Police Department. On July 1, 2020, authorities arrested a suspect in connection with the murders of Javon Cooper and Malik Milburn. The unidentified suspect was charged with Murder, Reckless Endangerment, Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act and Possession of an Instrument of Crime.
While an arrest was made, publicly available information regarding the outcome of the legal proceedings is limited. At the time of the last available reports, the case was pending trial. Details regarding a conviction or sentencing for the suspect have not been released in the online sources covering this case.
