Killeen Police Searching for Man Who Gunned Down Valero Clerk

Killeen police are hoping the public can help them track down a man who gunned down a convenience store employee in Killeen early Sunday morning.

Killeen PD officers were dispatched to the Valero at 3900 Trimmier Road at around 3:53 AM August 1st after receiving a report about an unresponsive man in the store.

When officers arrived, they found 25-year-old Kentaro Cooper with a gunshot wound. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Gregory Johnson at 4:39 AM.

The suspect was described as a light skinned man wearing a face mask and a beanie hat. He had on multiple layers of dark clothing.

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You can't make out the suspect's features in the surveillance stills police have released to the public, but detectives are hoping someone may recognize the person's clothing or know something that could help them track down Mr. Cooper's murderer.

If you have any information that might be helpful, please reach out to the Bell County Crime Stoppers at (254) 526-TIPS (8477), bellcountycrimestoppers.com, or via the free P3Tips app.

You don't have to give Crime Stoppers your name, and information leading to an arrest could net a cash reward of up to $1,000.

According to police, Cooper's death marks the ninth criminal homicide in Killeen in 2021.

Unfortunately, it's been a violent weekend for all of Central Texas. A man was fatally shot in Belton Friday afternoon. Saturday morning, another person was fatally shot in Killeen, while a second person was injured. Not long afterward, yet another person was shot and killed in Harker Heights.

On Sunday around 2:42 PM, Killeen police responded to a call about an aggravated robbery at the 7-11 at 1000 S WS Young. The suspect remains on the loose.