Attempted murder is charged

An Atmore man is being held on $1 million bond after he allegedly fired a shotgun Saturday morning into an apartment full of people, including three who were children, with three people being hit by pellets from the gun.

Kelvin Bernard Cooper, 45, 69 Ann St., was arrested and charged with nine counts of attempted murder, nine counts of reckless endangerment, 10 counts of making a terrorist threat, one count certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine).

According to reports released by the Atmore Police Department, officers responded to a shots fired call at 8:42 a.m. on Ann Street. When officers arrived they found three people injured from shotgun pellets.

The police report stated Cooper had a dispute with another male at the location and left. Police said Cooper returned a few minutes later in his vehicle and told everyone there he was going to come back and kill everyone.

Cooper returned a few minutes later and yelled "All of you are about to die" and fired the shotgun from his vehicle window. Witnesses also put Cooper in possession of a pistol.

Atmore police spotted Cooper's vehicle on Union Street and he was taken into custody. Police reports also state Cooper threatened to kill the police officer.

Court records show that Cooper threatened to kill the police officer and his family.

By law Cooper was not supposed to be in possession of a firearm after being convicted of assault II in Escambia County, Ala., on March 15, 2013 and Sept. 9, 1998. The guilty plea of assault II in the 2013 case followed his arrest for making a terrorist threat against another Atmore police officer.

Reports state that Cooper his accused of firing the shotgun into the 69 Ann St., apartment, where he listed as his address.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks stated the crack cocaine was found in Cooper's possession after he was stopped by police shortly after the shootings. Brooks also said police found evidence in the car Cooper was driving that a shotgun had been used.

During a bond hearing Tuesday in Brewton before District Judge Eric Coale, Judge Coale asked him if he understood the charges against him.

"Nobody told me anything," Cooper told Judge Coale. "They throwed me in a cell and nobody told me anything. I don't know what's going on."

Judge Coale then read the charges that were filed against Cooper.

"Drugs?" Cooper said after the charges were read. "Everything's new to me right now. I don't know what's going on."

When asked, Cooper said he was indigent and didn't have any money and Judge Coale agreed to appoint him a lawyer.

Assistant District Attorney Kim Pettis told the judge the state was asking for a $1 million bond, noting Cooper was a convicted felon.

Cale Ransom, an attorney with the public defender's office, asked Judge Coale to stay within the guidelines saying since the court had already declared Cooper indigent, any bond is the same as no bond.

Judge Coale then set the bond at $1 million.