Wayne Patrick Cooper, 36

March 25, 2014

Wayne Patrick Cooper, a 36-year-old white male, was shot and killed Tuesday, March 25, in the 11600 block of Bellflower Boulevard in Downey, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Around 1:32 a.m. Downey police responded to a shots fired call and discovered Cooper with multiple gunshot wounds inside a vehicle, officials said in a news release.

Cooper was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:12 a.m., according to Ed Winter, a coroner’s spokesman.

Authorities said Cooper is a known gang member, and the homicide is believed to be gang-related.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Downey Police Department at (562) 904-2308. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling (800) 222-8477.

-- Matt Stevens and Maloy Moore

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27 reader comments

I just wish someone would stand up and fight for high schools to MENTOR young people into living a good life, providing value to their community. Instead, schools are solely thinking about how much money they get if he students get high grades on a lot of stuff that doesn't matter, like who was the 17th president. Community love and community parenting, along with schools teaching WHY a person wants to be good from the start is the ONLY thing that will ever end gangs and also prevent shootings like this. It's all about a person's environment. Rich kids grow up wanting to focus on making money. Some Islamic kids sometimes grow up to become terrorists, and guys who find acceptance and friendships in gangs ultimately end up dead, even after they've left the gang. SOMEONE needs to start a new chapter in this world. It CAN be accomplished. You have to take away the power, hardness and prestige of being in a gang. A gang is a slippery slope of mental happenings. Power, acceptance, and the feeling of owning or controlling territory. However, these feelings are animalistic. Bears do the same thing. They kill any other bear in their territory. We are supposed to be humans and be smart enough to rise above these territorial or pack mentalities.

— VintageCartoons Jan. 23, 2015 at 8:17 p.m.

@itsashame...I was wondering the same thing about the infamous syscom3 a.k.a
antonio montana or so his twitter page says he is. No disrespect for this deceased man or his family and friends but you see it does hurt when some unknown person makes comments that are not necessary about your loved one, whether he was a "gangbanger" or not I don't care, I only wish EVERYBODY could exist without shooting or stabbing each other. And NO syscom3 does NOT comment on ALL homicides, I've randomly picked 5 black, 2 hispanic, and 3 white homicides and I found he commented on 3 and they were only of the black homicides! So it is HE who does have a problem! Violence is everywhere and no race, class, economic group can escape it, killers most times kill where they live! Rest In Peace to this fallen human being!

— Really Now! July 31, 2014 at 8:01 p.m.

Dawn,
I don't have to know him...his face said everything about him that anyone could possibly every need to know. His life style took him into the the side of humanity that no one should go to. But you made is all suger coated and sweet like well okay he did that but...that doesn't count. Are you serious? Every action we take counts. People don't say well you stole my car and trashed it but its been 5 years so were good now. No people still want justice. And if you go around suger coating everything when it comes to that face how much empathy do you think you are going to get? Since I am the only one that has responded I would say not much. Not only would i run in the other direction if I saw him coming down the street, I would be yelling fire all the way. We make choices and we have to live and die by them. There are no do overs in death.

— Cristy April 17, 2014 at 8:43 p.m.

This was my brother Wayne cooper father of two little boys instead of the label that the news automatically gives people ....its crazy how people get judged by the way they looked rather than by the person they truly were automatically its gang related my brother mined his own business he didn't go out looling For trouble he was well liked by everyone didn't owe anyone a thing he took care of his son everyday an took him to target to buy a toy after school everyday he was very overprotective an very carefree so for the reason he died in such a horrible way makes me crazy why do people do these things his son 6 yrs old is suffering his wife that adored him an new baby that was just as happy as him these fools were heartless an karma one day will bite them in the ass

— dawn April 11, 2014 at 3:33 a.m.

That's my lil brother .....an if anyone has anything bad to say or if nothing good comes out of your mouthes than keep it to yourself if you didn't know him don't judge him you are not god he has
a good heart an the problem with people now a days is they judge so easily but mabey they should take a look at themselves My brother was already a family man he loved his kids an ever since he became a dad he stayed out of trouble his son was his world the apple of his eye an he died for nothing there was no reason. Whatsoever he was loved by everyone when he was around he made everyone smile he was a faimly man he didn't bother anyone he was never hated that's why it makes no sense why his life was taken so horribly he didn't deserve that an he doesn't deserve anyone to badmouth him now its crazy how right away everything is gang related as soon as they see tattoos its sad that u people that think ur better are worse cus ur gangbanging on a blog about someone that's not here to defend himself u. Should be ashamed ....if anyone has anything that's not good to say then please leave your opinions to youselfes or take them up with me .... My brother had the biggest heart an he ment the world to me I only had o e an now he's gone an be was my other half I don't feel she Anymore I only have good memories to keep me going his son adores him an he will have to live without his daddy now because of no aparant reason .....karma is a fact of life so whatever they've done will come back around o
ne day cus only god can judge us ........

— dawn April 10, 2014 at 11:25 p.m.