No arrest has been announced in the killing of 17-year-old Amari Cooper, who was shot during a Halloween party in 2025.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A year after 17-year-old Amari Cooper was fatally shot during a Halloween party in northwest Charlotte, her family and friends are again asking people who were there that night to share what they know with investigators.
Cooper, a senior at West Charlotte High School, was shot shortly after midnight on Nov. 1, 2025, at a gathering on Old Plank Road. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said officers found her with a gunshot wound and that she was taken to a hospital, where she died. Police have not announced an arrest in the homicide.
The anniversary has renewed attention on a case that has remained unresolved despite the large number of young people believed to have attended the party. Friends and relatives gathered at Lakewood Park over the anniversary weekend to release balloons in Cooper’s memory. Family friend Leondra Garrett said she believes someone who attended the party has information that could help detectives determine who fired the shot.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s original case notice said Homicide Unit detectives responded to investigate and crime scene personnel collected physical evidence. Police identified Cooper publicly later that day and described the investigation as active and ongoing. The department has not publicly announced a suspect, arrest or resolution in the case.
The number of people at the gathering has remained a major focus for Cooper’s loved ones. Garrett said the party drew hundreds of young people and questioned whether surveillance cameras, vehicle information or social media activity from the area could help investigators. Her comments reflected the family’s frustration that a shooting witnessed or heard by so many people has not produced a publicly announced arrest.
That concern was also raised earlier in 2026. Detective Ashley Phillips of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers said many teenagers left the party without talking to police. Phillips said investigators understood that young witnesses could be reluctant to speak with law enforcement and emphasized that information could be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Cooper’s mother, Shante Robinson, said in January that her daughter had been devoted to her young child and had plans for her future. Robinson said Cooper handled daily responsibilities for her daughter while attending school and hoped to continue her education. Cooper had been a senior at West Charlotte High School when she was killed.
Police have not publicly said what caused the gunfire or identified the person who fired the shot that struck Cooper. The available public record also does not establish that Cooper was involved in any dispute before the shooting. The lack of an announced suspect or motive has left her family focused on people who may have seen events unfold or learned something afterward.
At the anniversary gathering, Garrett remembered Cooper for her positive personality, energy and concern for others. She said Cooper remains part of daily conversations among those caring for her daughter, keeping the teenager’s memory present even as the family continues to seek answers about her death.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police continue to seek information in the homicide. People with information can contact homicide detectives or provide an anonymous tip through Charlotte Crime Stoppers. As of the latest public reporting, no arrest had been announced in Cooper’s killing.
Author note: Last updated November 3, 2026.