17-year-old arrested after Kannapolis teen shot and killed | Crime

KANNAPOLIS, NC (WBTV) -  Laura Tucker is a grieving mother. Her son, 17-year-old Daniel Cooper, was supposed to graduate from high school next week. Instead, she holds on to artwork and pictures of him.

They've all become treasured pieces since Daniel was shot and killed one week ago. Police are still searching for two of the suspects.

Police say one of the suspects in the robbery, 17-year-old Damarick Harper, was actually in a car with his family en route to turn himself in to officials.

During the trip to the police station, Harper apparently had a change of heart, because police said he jumped from the car and took off running.

He was caught after a short foot chase. WBTV's David Whisanent reports that Harper was charged with murder in the case on Tuesday.

Police are still looking for two other people in connection with the crime.  19-year-old Darius Smotherson was already on probation and was last known to live in the neighborhood where Daniel was shot. He faces a murder charge.

Police are not naming the third suspect.

Daniel was shot while in the passenger seat of someone else's car on Snow Street Monday afternoon.  Police have not released the name of the driver or what was taken.

"I have three little girls and I'm scared to let them go outside and play in their back yard," said Jacqueline Lambert, who rents a house which backs up to the crime scene. A week later, crime scene tape still hangs on the trees.

Lambert says she is trying to move because she doesn't feel safe anymore.

As for Laura Tucker, she says she is thankful for the community's outpouring of support. She just hopes someone who knows something will give police a call to help catch the suspects.

She says Daniel had no idea how many friends he really had. She says they all know now.

At A.L. Brown High School, it's not just the rock painted in Daniel's memory. The sidewalk and even utility poles are painted in his memory, too.

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