In the late afternoon of December 14, 2020, a meeting arranged over social media in Wichita, Kansas, turned fatal for 20-year-old Cooper Kelley, a White/Caucasian male. The planned rendezvous, ostensibly for an illegal drug transaction, took a violent turn, ending Kelley's life and leading to the swift arrest of a teenage suspect.
The incident unfolded around 4:00 p.m. in the 9300 block of East Funston. Kelley met with a 17-year-old male outside a residence to conduct the transaction.
During the course of their interaction, a disturbance erupted, and the 17-year-old produced a handgun, firing a shot that struck Kelley in the abdomen. Emergency services were called to the scene, and Kelley was rushed to Wesley Medical Center. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries.
The Wichita Police Department's investigation into the shooting was aided by several witnesses who provided crucial information. Their cooperation was instrumental in helping officers quickly identify the suspect. Early the next morning, the 17-year-old was taken into custody. He was subsequently booked on suspicion of felony murder, aggravated robbery, and being a juvenile in possession of a firearm. Authorities confirmed that the shooting was not a random act of violence and that a handgun was recovered during the investigation.
A fundraiser organized for Cooper Kelley's family described his death as the culmination of his struggles with mental illness and addiction. The case was noted as the 57th death investigation in Wichita for 2020, with 51 of those being classified as criminal homicides. The case was set to be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office for formal charges.
