In the spring of 2022, the life of 27-year-old Kenneth Cooper Jr. was tragically cut short in a violent act that stunned the Richmond, Virginia community. On the evening of April 5th, police responded to reports of a shooting in an alley on Hanes Avenue, near West Brookland Park Boulevard. There, they discovered Cooper, who had sustained a gunshot wound and was unresponsive.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation revealed that Cooper was walking down the alley by a Northside Richmond store when he was shot. For nearly a year, the case remained unsolved, leaving his family, particularly his mother, Laverne McMullen, in a state of prolonged grief and uncertainty. The lack of answers was a heavy burden, but she remained hopeful that justice would eventually be served for her son.
A significant breakthrough in the case came in February 2023, approximately ten months after the fatal shooting. Richmond Police arrested Cequan Pittman, who was identified as a childhood friend of Kenneth Cooper Jr. Pittman was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Cooper's death. The arrest brought a complex mix of emotions for Cooper's mother, who expressed a sense of closure coupled with sorrow over the alleged involvement of someone who had been a part of her son's life. Following the arrest, the case against Cequan Pittman would proceed through the legal system.
