Jahmari “Wack” Cooper was taken into custody on Thursday, Sept. 27 by the U.S. Marshals Service as he got out of a car in Riviera Beach. He’s wanted for his role in the October murder of Jeri Kollock at a housing complex in Bridgeport last year.
Cooper has been charged with felony counts of murder and robbery. The U.S. Marshals were following a tip provided that claimed Cooper had been staying in the West Palm Beach area in Florida. According to multiple reports, Kollock was forced to strip naked before he was robbed of his jewelry and shot multiple times as he attempted to flee.
According to the Hartford Courant, Kollock was shot in the stairwell of a building at the Charles F. Greene Homes complex on Harral Avenue. After he struggled down the stairs and dragged his body to a door, where he began yelling for assistance. Kollock died from his injuries before paramedics could arrive.
Following his arrest, officials said that investigators found a gun and ammunition at the apartment where he was reportedly staying at. They also found a New Jersey driver’s license with the name “Mark White.” He may face additional charges in Florida.
In a statement, U.S. Marshal Brian Taylor in Connecticut called Cooper “an extremely violent individual.” He is currently being detained in Florida, pending extradition back to Connecticut.
“We are very pleased to have (Cooper) in custody,” he said. “He was an extremely violent individual and now he is off the streets due in part to the public’s assistance.”
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