Apalachicola man charged in shooting incident

Apalachicola resident James Cooper, 50, was arrested 

after police said he fired gunshots that struck two vehicles

and a residence in Apalachicola Monday afternoon. 

Apalachicola Police arrested a man after they said he fired gunshots that struck two vehicles and a residence in Apalachicola Monday afternoon.

On Monday, October 10, 2016, at approximately 4:04 pm, the Apalachicola Police Department was dispatched to 151 15th Street in reference to shots being fired.

Upon arriving on the scene and after investigating it was discovered that James Edgar “Jimmy” Cooper, 50, of Apalachicola had gotten into a verbal argument with his neighbor, Maurice Miller. During the altercation, Cooper returned to his 155 15th Street residence and retrieved a 270 caliber bolt action rifle and fired five rounds, striking inside Miller’s two unoccupied vehicles and his residence, which was occupied at the time.

One bullet was fired through the door of Miller’s residence and a fragment of the bullet struck Miller in his chest.  Miller was treated for the injury and released from the local hospital.

After the shooting Cooper returned to his residence where he was met by Apalachicola Police Officer Chase Richard, placed under arrest and transported to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Before the arrest, Copper made threats upon Officer Richard’s life.

Cooper, a convicted felon has been charged with 6 Counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon on a Law Enforcement Officer, 2 Counts of Criminal Mischief, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Discharging a Firearm in Public.