2 Teenagers Charged In Death Of Keith Cooper, 73, Killed In Attempted Carjacking In Hyde Park
By Mugo Odigwe
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CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — Charges have been filed in the death of an elderly man during an attempted carjacking in Hyde Park.
Frank Harris, 18, and a 17-year-old, are facing murder charges and will be in court Friday.
Harris is charged with one count of murder and one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, police said.
The 17-year-old is charged as a juvenile with one count of murder and one count of attempted aggravated battery, police said.
Wednesday afternoon, 73-year-old Vietnam veteran Keith Cooper was running errands on Greenwood Avenue.
Witnesses told police two carjackers tried to take Cooper’s vehicle, and punched him in the head, according to UCPD. Cooper was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Cooper’s daughter, Keinika Carlton, said her father was out running errands at Hyde Park Produce at the busy Kimbark Plaza Shopping Center when he was attacked.
His car was parked in front of the Leona’s pizzeria in the shopping center, with his license plate holder that proudly showed off his military service.
“Vietnam veteran, Marine – served this country,” said Cooper’s son-inn-law, Curtis Carlton.
On Friday, Carlton says she has many questions for the suspects involved his her father’s death.
“You saw my father, you thought he would be a good target, that was the decision you made that day,” she said. “All he wanted to do was run a quick errand and come pick me up.”
Keinika Carlton described her father as a man who loved jazz music, sports, science fiction, and scary movies. Next week would have been his 74th birthday.
“It’s ridiculous. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s like, you know, if you need a car, there’s ways to get a car,” Carlton said. “That’s not the way – to harm an old man, somebody’s dad.”
Cooper drove his black Hyundai for Uber and Lyft, but his family said they don’t believe he was driving for either rideshare service at the time of the carjacking.
“I know you’re going to eventually lose a parent. I would rather him went in his sleep, or something like that, but not like this. This was selfish. This is painful,” Keinika Carlton said.
“You didn’t even get his car. You took his life,” Curtis Carlton added. “It was two guys preying on a senior citizen.”
The carjackers fled north on Kimbark Avenue after attacking Cooper, but were arrested a short time later a few blocks away after witnesses helped identify them to police.
A vigil will be held for Cooper Friday night in Hyde Park.
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