Neighbors lament ‘kids killing’ after Lancaster High teen, 17, dies in shooting

Police in Lancaster are investigating the murder of a 17-year-old Lancaster High School basketball player outside a community center Wednesday night.

The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office identified the teen as Allen Jerome Cooper Jr. of Lancaster. Cooper died from a single gunshot wound, according to the coroner’s office.

Cooper was found dead outside the Hope on The Hill Community center at Barr Street School campus on West Meeting Street. Officers responded to reports of a shooting after a basketball game just after 9 p.m., Lancaster Police Chief Scott Grant said.

David Knight, spokesman for Lancaster County schools, confirmed the teen who died is a student at Lancaster High School and that he played on the school’s basketball team. The school had extra counselors on campus Thursday, Knight said.

The Wednesday night basketball game where Cooper was killed, however, was not a school function and was part of a recreational league, Knight said.

Teammates said Cooper was a hard worker and a good friend who made everyone laugh, according to The Herald’s news partner, WSOC-TV.

Lancaster police, Lancaster County deputies and State Law Enforcement Division agents are working on the case, but no arrests have been made.

One resident whose home backs up to the recreation center separated by woods said she knew the victim. She said he wasn’t one to get into trouble.

However, she said it isn’t too surprising a shooting could take place nearby, but still it “hit close to home.”

Another neighbor, who has lived her entire 54 years in the area, said she heard what she first thought were firecrackers. She then saw police cars swarm the area.

“I just heard the shots,” said the woman, who like other neighbors, declined to give her name. “It was a lot of shots. It sounded like it could be two guns.”

A man consoling a woman who identified herself as Cooper’s godmother Thursday morning said most people in the area know each other.

“It’s always been problems in the neighborhood,” he said. “It’s kids killing each other. It’s friends killing friends, and it's not even worth it.”

Check back for updates.

This story was originally published April 27, 2017 at 10:53 PM with the headline "Neighbors lament ‘kids killing’ after Lancaster High teen, 17, dies in shooting."