Los Angeles: On Tuesday afternoon, September 25, 2001, at approximately 3:25 p.m., 20 year old Deandre Dontrel Cooper was in the 900 block of West 73^rd Street in Los Angeles. Suspect(s) drove up in a gray 4-door sedan possibly a Cadillac. One suspect armed with an assault rifle, got out of the car and approached Cooper on foot. Without warning, the suspect aimed the rifle in Cooper's direction and fired several rounds at him. Cooper attempted to get away by running northbound on Vermont Avenue, but sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso and fell to the driveway of Kragen Auto Parts Store, which is located at 7226 South Vermont Avenue.

Los Angeles Fire Department Rescue Unit responded and transported him to the Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

During this shooting incident, Auguszell Johnson, 58 years old, sustained a graze wound to her right knee as she was driving her car northbound on Vermont Avenue at 73^rd Street. She was transported to a local hospital and listed in good condition. The suspect(s) were last seen getting into a gray 4-door sedan, possibly a Cadillac, and drove away southbound in an alley from 73^rd Street towards 74^th Street.

The motive appears to be gang related.

The suspect(s) and weapon remain outstanding

77^th Street Homicide Detectives Charles Tizano and Michelle Esquivel are conducting the investigation. Anyone with information concerning this incident is requested to call 77^th Street Homicide at 213-485-1385 or The Department Command Post at 213-485-2504 during off-hours.

This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.