On a late summer evening in Bellport, New York, a dispute between two groups erupted in violence, leaving one man dead and another wounded. The incident occurred on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Patchogue Avenue, between Doane and Bayview avenues. During the confrontation, shots were fired, striking two men.
Eric Cooper, a 43-year-old male resident of Bellport, was one of the individuals shot.
He was rushed to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead. The second victim, who has not been publicly identified, was also taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries and was subsequently released.
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are actively investigating the shooting. At this time, no arrests have been made in connection with the death of Eric Cooper, and authorities have not released any information regarding potential suspects. The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue to seek information from the public to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. Investigators have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the Homicide Squad or to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.
