Family of Lyft driver killed in Dayton robbery: “He was everything”

The kids at the moment are charged with aggravated theft and aggravated homicide and are being held on the Montgomery County Juvenile Justice Heart. They’ve entered denials to the fees and are due again in court docket in February.

Brittney Cooper mentioned her husband was a tremendous, caring one that all the time tried to assist folks. She mentioned that Brandon Cooper left folks feeling higher than the way in which he discovered them and needed to make a huge impact on society.

“He was doing Uber and Lyft as a result of he needed to supply,” Brittney Cooper mentioned. “He needed to supply for our careers. He wasn’t only a rideshare driver, he was a recreation developer and that was the principle motive for him (driving). To verify he may ultimately not try this anymore and will do what he truly needed to do which was develop video games that made a distinction within the gaming trade. That wasn’t nearly graphics, however was about experiences and opening folks’s eyes to greater than only one perspective.”

Driving for Lyft

Brandon Cooper had pushed for rideshare purposes for about 4 1/2 years due to the flexibleness the occupation provided, Brittney Cooper mentioned,

“He was working in factories and having a tough time making sufficient and having a great work setting so he left and began doing Uber and Lyft simply to free himself from the conduct in workplaces,” she mentioned. “It gave him the liberty to return dwelling every time he needed to, to relaxation if he needed to or work extra if he needed to.”

She mentioned there have been instances that he needed to kick folks out of his automobile due to poor conduct and did flip off the app when he felt unsafe.

“Plenty of instances he (drove) at evening as a result of he knew a number of different drivers wouldn’t be driving and he would get a number of prospects,” Brittney Cooper mentioned. “He drove every time he felt like driving. He would drive at evening as a result of he knew I’d be sleeping after which he may come dwelling and we eat breakfast collectively.”

Brandon Cooper’s mom, Michelle Cooper, was within the service and Brandon lived in locations all around the world as she traveled. The household mentioned he graduated from Jefferson Twp. Excessive Faculty as valedictorian.

Michelle Cooper mentioned she needs solutions from Lyft about why her son was despatched to an space when a unique Lyft driver was robbed of her automobile about an hour earlier than. Police say a lady driving for Lyft had her automobile, cellphone and pockets stolen by the identical group of youngsters they think are liable for Cooper’s dying.

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Map of Lyft capturing, theft

Caption

Map of Lyft capturing, theft

An assistant prosecutor mentioned throughout a court docket listening to on Thursday that different Uber and Lyft robberies had been reported during the last a number of days and authorities are working to see which of them are and are usually not related.

Lyft didn’t instantly reply to Dayton Day by day Information questions concerning the timeline for once they came upon concerning the first theft, which reportedly befell at round 1 a.m., and Cooper’s killing that befell round 2 a.m.

They did beforehand launch an announcement saying security is a high precedence.

“Security is prime to Lyft, and the actions that led to the occasions of this morning are reprehensible. Our hearts are with the driving force’s family members throughout this extremely tough time, in addition to with a further driver who was impacted by this conduct. We’ve reached out to regulation enforcement to supply our help with their investigation, and we’ll proceed our efforts to fight this mindless violence and assist preserve drivers protected.”

Prosecution of Juveniles

Brittney and Michelle Cooper each agree that the kids accused in Brandon’s killing needs to be tried as adults and if convicted, serve life sentences.

“I don’t need them getting out at 18, 21 or no matter it’s,” Michelle Cooper mentioned. “They had been sufficiently old to take my son’s life and they’re sufficiently old to undergo the results. This isn’t the one time. They’ve been doing this. This isn’t something new to them.”

“I simply wish to know ‘why?’” Michelle Cooper mentioned. “He had what he labored for, he labored to assist him and his spouse and you’ve got taken every thing from us and I imply every thing.”

Brittney Cooper mentioned the suspects can’t perceive how necessary Brandon Cooper was.

“They don’t know how particular he was. How superb he was and the way a lot he meant to each particular person he met,” she siad. “Particularly to me and his household. He wasn’t just a few random one that had a automobile you needed to take. He was every thing.”

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Brandon Cooper together with his spouse, Brittney Cooper. Brandon Cooper was shot and killed Wednesday morning whereas driving for Lyft. / CONTRIBUTED

Caption

Brandon Cooper together with his spouse, Brittney Cooper. Brandon Cooper was shot and killed Wednesday morning whereas driving for Lyft. / CONTRIBUTED

The group must know that Brandon Cooper needed to encourage others to attain their objectives, she mentioned.

“The identical individuals who took his life are the identical folks he needed to encourage to do higher,” Brittney Cooper mentioned. “He was all the time speaking to younger black males, younger folks typically, however particularly younger black males to inform them that they might do higher. That they didn’t need to do any loopy avenue stuff, that they might do no matter they needed and have every thing they needed.”