Janet Coggs Echols came from a family deeply rooted in education and service. Her grandfather was born into slavery, and her father, Dr. Tandy Washington Coggs, was a respected educator who served as the president of Arkansas Baptist College for nearly two decades. Her uncle, Dr. Granville Coleridge Coggs, was a distinguished physician and an original member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
Janet, a 77-year-old woman, continued this legacy of community work in her own way as the facility manager at the Progressive Home for the Elderly in South Los Angeles, a 141-unit senior housing development in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood.
The morning of Monday, September 21, 2026, began like any other at the six-story facility on Denver Avenue. But shortly before 11 a.m., the lobby was shattered by gunfire. A maintenance employee, 60-year-old Darryl Arnette Barnes, allegedly began arguing with his colleagues. A witness heard him say, “I’m tired of this,” before he pulled out a handgun and opened fire on the administrative staff. Surveillance footage captured what investigators would later describe as a methodical attack. Barnes was seen leaning on a shopping cart before suddenly raising the weapon and shooting Janet in the face. He continued to fire as she tried to get away.
The chaos sent employees scrambling for their lives. Two other staff members were also shot: the facility’s secretary, Yolanda Reyes, was struck in the chest, and another manager, Anwar Markos, was hit in the arm. The Los Angeles Police Department received an active shooter call at approximately 10:50 a.m. and officers from the 77th Street Division arrived within two minutes. They found the three wounded employees in the lobby and immediately began rendering aid while systematically searching the building for the gunman. None of the roughly 100 elderly residents of the home were physically harmed during the attack.
Janet and her two colleagues were rushed to local hospitals. Her injuries were critical, and she died later that day. The other two victims were listed in stable condition. While police searched the facility, they found Darryl Barnes on another floor and took him into custody without a struggle. A handgun believed to have been used in the shooting was recovered at the scene.
The investigation was handled by LAPD detectives. Two days after the shooting, on September 23, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office charged Barnes with three counts of attempted murder, with allegations that the acts were willful, deliberate, and premeditated. During his arraignment that afternoon, Barnes pleaded not guilty. His bail was initially set at $1 million before being raised to $4 million.
Coworkers and acquaintances described Barnes as a longtime employee who was well-liked and helpful, though he had reportedly been vocal about feeling underpaid for his workload. Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who knew Barnes from attending holiday events at the facility, expressed his shock, calling him a "nice man who goes out of his way to be helpful." The motive for the shooting remained under investigation by police.
As of the latest reports from October 2026, the case against Darryl Arnette Barnes was proceeding through the court system. A hearing was scheduled for October 7 to determine if there was enough evidence for him to stand trial on the charges. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of life in prison. The case remains in litigation.
