Mikel Cooper

Mikel “Kel Kel” Cooper, an 18-year-old senior at Bessemer City High School, was a young man deeply loved by his family and friends. Known also by nicknames like "Kel" and "Jackboii Coop," Mikel’s memory is cherished by those who knew him, who left messages of love and sorrow after his sudden death, remembering him as a brother and a beloved friend they missed every day.

On the afternoon of October 26, 2020, Mikel’s life was cut short in a burst of gunfire in his hometown of Bessemer, Alabama. At approximately 5:15 p.m., he was with a group of friends at a house on the corner of 6th Avenue North and 15th Street when a drive-by shooting occurred. Bessemer Police Department officers, led by Lt. Christian Clemons, responded to calls of a person shot and arrived to a chaotic scene. They found Mikel, who had been fatally wounded, and several other teenagers suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.

Three other male teenagers were also victims of the shooting. A 13-year-old was transported by ambulance to Children's of Alabama, and another 18-year-old was taken to a local hospital. A short time later, a 16-year-old victim arrived at an area hospital by a private vehicle. Detectives also investigated a potential link to another shooting that occurred around the same time, where a woman was injured in her home, though the connection was not publicly detailed. Police later confirmed that another shooting that happened later the same evening was related to the incident that took Mikel's life.

The investigation into the homicide was handled by the Bessemer Police Department. Just over a week later, on November 3, 2020, authorities announced a significant development in the case. The department reported that it had secured a capital murder warrant for a 16-year-old male suspect in connection with Mikel Cooper's death. The warrant carried no bond.

In addition to the capital murder charge, the teenage suspect was also charged with two counts of attempted murder, each with a $60,000 bond, and one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling, which carried a $30,000 bond. At the time of the announcement, police stated that the suspect was not in custody and was considered to be on the run.

As of that last public update in early November 2020, the search for the suspect was ongoing. Information regarding his potential apprehension, his identity, or any subsequent legal proceedings, including a trial or conviction, has not been made available in public records or news reports since that time. The case remains in the hands of the Bessemer Police Department, with the central question of whether the individual charged with Mikel's murder was ever brought to justice unanswered.