Latosha Ann Cooper had just clocked out after her shift at the Walmart in Cedarbrook Plaza when a masked gunman opened fire on her in the parking lot, killing the 45-year-old as she stood beside her car preparing to drive home. The shooting happened Wednesday night in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, and as of Thursday no arrests had been made.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said Cooper was shot and killed after finishing her shift at the Easton Road store, according to CBS Philadelphia. Cooper had worked at the Walmart for 22 years and was most recently a stocking coach, The Inquirer reports. Witnesses told police the shooter was wearing a mask and fled the scene, the same account notes.
Responding officers took Cooper to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, according to the same report. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday morning, per the District Attorney's statement cited by Patch.
Conflicting Details on Timing and Location
Accounts of exactly when officers arrived differ slightly. NBC10 reported that officers responded at approximately 11:24 p.m., while 6abc reported officers responded around 11:30 p.m. to reports of a shooting in front of the Walmart on Easton Road and Greenwood Avenue, according to 6abc.
The store's exact location within Cheltenham Township has also been described two different ways in coverage of the shooting. NBC10 placed the Walmart in the township's Glenside section, while The Inquirer described the store as located on Easton Road in the township's Wyncote section. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, and officials have asked anyone with information to contact Montgomery County detectives or Cheltenham police.
Store Closed as Investigation Continues
The Walmart at 1000 S. Easton Road was expected to remain closed all day Thursday because of the investigation, per Patch's reporting. No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting, and the shooter's identity has not been released.
Not the First Shooting at This Walmart
This is not the first time gunfire has erupted at the same shopping center. The Inquirer notes that the Cedarbrook Plaza Walmart was the scene of a shooting in August 2018 that left five people injured and prompted police to place the area on lockdown. In that earlier incident, Keenan Jones opened fire as a couple were waiting in line to check out, according to the same report. Jones is currently serving a 25- to 62-year sentence in state prison on convictions including aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and firearm offenses.
