A Pennsylvania mother and grandmother who had spent more than two decades working at Walmart was shot and killed by a masked gunman just moments after finishing her shift, leaving her family devastated and investigators searching for answers.
Latosha Ann Cooper, 45, was preparing to head home Wednesday night, October 21, when she was attacked outside the Walmart at Cedarbrook Plaza in Cheltenham Township, just outside Philadelphia.
The killing came only two days after Cooper celebrated her birthday on October 19.
According to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele and Cheltenham Police Chief Richard Schaffer, officers were dispatched to the store’s parking lot on Easton Road at approximately 11:24 p.m.
Cooper had finished her workday and was standing beside her vehicle when someone wearing a mask approached and opened fire.
Investigators found her near a white Nissan, which had at least one bullet hole in its rear door, according to Philadelphia television station WPVI.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Cooper was shot multiple times and rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The gunman fled, and authorities have not disclosed what may have motivated the attack.
The tragedy has devastated Cooper’s loved ones, who are now mourning a woman they expected to have many more birthdays with.
Cooper leaves behind three children and three grandchildren, according to her family. Her daughter told FOX 29 that Cooper had worked at Walmart for more than 20 years and was a manager at the store.
She described her mother as a kindhearted woman who treated people well and said she could not understand why anyone would want to hurt her.
Cooper’s longtime connection to the store has made the killing especially difficult for those who knew her. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, she had worked there for approximately 22 years, most recently as a stocking coach.
The shooting also raised concerns among employees at nearby businesses, particularly those who regularly leave work late at night.
Walmart expressed sorrow over Cooper’s death and confirmed that it was cooperating with investigators. The company also arranged on-site mental health support for employees affected by the tragedy.
The store was still closed Friday, October 23, as the community struggled to come to terms with what happened.
Meanwhile, investigators face troubling unanswered questions. Authorities have not publicly identified the masked shooter, announced an arrest or established a motive.
Police have also not disclosed whether Cooper was specifically targeted.
Montgomery County detectives and Cheltenham police are continuing their homicide investigation and urging anyone who witnessed suspicious activity near the shopping center that night to come forward.
Anyone with information can contact Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3368 or Cheltenham Police at 215-885-1600, extension 499. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through extension 777.
For Cooper’s family, what should have been a week of birthday celebrations has instead become a time of grief, with three children and three grandchildren now facing life without her.
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