In the early morning hours of a Sunday in Philadelphia, the fabric of a family was torn apart by an act of violence that remains a mystery. It was November 20, 2016, when Terrell Cooper, a 30-year-old Black man, was found lying in the street on the 100 block of South 56th Street. The call came in to the Philadelphia Police officers at 3:33 a.m., a time when the city is cloaked in a deceptive quiet.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered Mr. Cooper with a gunshot wound.
He was rushed to Temple University Hospital in a desperate attempt to save his life, but his injuries were too severe. Terrell Cooper died that morning, leaving behind a grieving family and a community searching for answers. He had been a resident of the 5200 block of Knox Street in Philadelphia.
To this day, the murder of Terrell Cooper is an unsolved case. Detectives with the Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit continue to seek information from the public that might lead to the apprehension of the person or persons responsible for his death. The passage of time has not diminished the hope for justice, as his case remains an open investigation, a painful reminder of a life cut short.
