In the summer of 2021, the life of 15-year-old Tradarius Tray Rayshun Cooper was tragically cut short by gun violence in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. On the evening of Friday, June 18, 2021, officers from the Hattiesburg Police Department responded to a call at the Pine View Apartments on West 4th Street. There, they found the young male suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of first responders, Cooper was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the death of the teenager led to the arrests of two individuals. In the days following the shooting, Hattiesburg police took Marcus C. Dubose Jr., who was 20 years old at the time, and 19-year-old Ja'Leah J'Dae Powe into custody. Both were charged in connection with the homicide of Tradarius Cooper. The initial charges brought against the pair were not immediately made public as the investigation continued to unfold.
As the legal process moved forward, further details emerged about the charges faced by Dubose and Powe. While information regarding a trial and specific convictions remains limited in the public record, it has been reported that an individual connected to the death of Tradarius Cooper was sentenced to 25 years in the Forrest County Jail. The specific identity of the sentenced individual and the exact charges that led to this conviction have not been widely disseminated in available online sources. The case highlights the persistent issue of gun violence and its devastating impact on young lives within the community.
