Gas station shooting victim shares story, police search for suspect
By Lauren Sennet, Meghan Packer
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ATLANTA (WGCL) — On Wednesday, the Atlanta Police Department released surveillance footage of a man who they say was involved in the Dec. 11 shooting at a northwest Atlanta gas station. Authorities are seeking the public’s help identifying the suspect seen in the video.
The man who was shot told CBS46 about the terrifying experience.
Kevin Cooper is from Florida and was in Atlanta for a convention when he went to fill up his gas tank Saturday night.
“It was well-lit. I’m not so silly as to pull up into a dark area and try to get gas in an unfamiliar area but there were people and it was a well-lit station, I just didn’t think anything about it,” he said from his hospital bed at Grady Memorial Hospital.
A car pulled up at the pump next to his and a person suddenly jumped out of the passenger’s side with a rifle that was covered with something.
“Somebody rushed out and put something against the back of my leg and was like, ‘hey man give me your car keys or I’ll shoot your a**.'”
Cooper said he refused.
“He told me a third time to give him my car keys or he’d shoot me and I told him I couldn’t give him my car keys. I offered him a ride if he needed to go someplace but I couldn’t give him my car and he stepped back two feet and put the muzzle of the gun into my back of my right knee and pulled the trigger,” said Cooper.
Leaving Cooper bleeding on the ground, the suspect, whose face was covered, tried to get into Cooper’s locked car with no luck. He got back into the passenger seat of the silver Dodge Charger that brought him to the gas station and he and others in the car took off with nothing.
“I’m trying to not be angry at the young man,” said Cooper. “I just hope and pray that this doesn’t happen to someone else.”
He said he’s told he won’t be able to put weight on his left for six to eight weeks. He urges people to be alert while at the gas pump.
He said, “If somebody is on the other side of the gas pump from them like in my case, take note, be aware.”
Atlanta police ask anyone with information about the suspect to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS.
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