Joe Cooper, a resident of the 4400 block of St. Roch Avenue in the Gentilly Terrace neighborhood, was shot during an attempted home invasion on the afternoon of Monday, May 23. Cooper is the husband of well-known WWOZ personality Leslie Cooper and the father of jazz musician Doyle Cooper.
“There was an attempted home invasion at my parents’ house,” Doyle Cooper posted on Facebook. “While protecting my mom, my father was shot multiple times at his front door. He is currently in stable condition but is not out of the water yet. The disregard for life is honestly scary.”
Leslie Cooper told reporters on Tuesday, May 24, “We need to take our city back. Because we fought too hard after Katrina, and too hard after oil spills, and too hard after Ida for common criminals to run us away from home.”
Leslie Cooper said her husband was shot by someone who showed up at their door demanding a package that had been delivered to the home. After being told they had received no such package, the gunmen left, then returned later to repeat the demand. On the second confrontation, Joe Cooper was shot four times in the front doorway, according to his son’s post.
“He opened the door and they tried to get into the house,” Leslie Cooper said. “They tried to rush into the house. He yelled at me, ‘Baby, get down!’ And said, ‘No, you are not coming in!’ He opened the door to try to push them out and we pushed them out. They pulled him, at which point I heard multiple gunshots.
“He was shot four times, trying to protect me over a missing package.”
Police are seeking a single suspect who fled in a white sedan.
The Doyles have established a GoFundMe account to pay for medical expenses. The family is also urging the public to donate blood in the name of Joe Cooper at the following locations:
Maple Leaf Bar (Benefit and blood drive)
8316 Oak Street
Beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 28
(504) 866-9359
The Blood Center – Lakeshore
2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans
(504) 509-6292
St. Vincent’s Community Center
3500 Canal Street, New Orleans
(504) 827-2999
Children’s Hospital
7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
210 State Street, New Orleans
(504) 553-3000
Mid City Community Blood Drive (St. Vincent’s Community Center)
Wednesday, May 25, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
3500 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA
Metairie Donor Center
Any day this week
2617 Edenborn Avenue, Suite A, Metairie
(504) 249-4450
