Amari Cooper’s mother created a scholarship for young women as relatives marked one year since the 17-year-old’s killing.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One year after Amari Cooper was killed at a Halloween party, her family is working to preserve the Charlotte teenager’s memory through her young daughter and a scholarship intended to help other young women continue their education.
Cooper was 17 and a senior at West Charlotte High School when she was shot during a gathering on Old Plank Road shortly after midnight on Nov. 1, 2025. She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. No arrest has been publicly announced in the homicide, leaving the family’s effort to honor her life unfolding alongside its continuing search for answers.
Friends and relatives gathered at Lakewood Park over the anniversary weekend for a balloon release in Cooper’s memory. Family friend Leondra Garrett said those closest to Cooper continue to talk about her regularly while spending time with her daughter, keeping the teenager’s presence alive for a child who will grow up hearing stories about her mother.
Garrett said Cooper’s mother has also established a scholarship in her daughter’s honor. The fund is intended to assist young women interested in cosmetology school or those who need help pursuing college. Details about awards, eligibility or a distribution schedule were not included in the public reporting, but relatives described the scholarship as a way to connect Cooper’s name with educational opportunities for others.
Education had been part of Cooper’s own plans. Her mother, Shante Robinson, said earlier this year that Cooper hoped to attend college and become an ultrasound technician. She was balancing school with motherhood and was remembered by relatives as deeply involved in caring for her daughter.
Robinson said Cooper handled everyday parenting responsibilities, including getting her daughter ready and taking her to day care before school. That part of Cooper’s life has become central to the way relatives remember her. Garrett said the child closely resembles Cooper when she was young, giving the family another connection to the teenager they lost.
Cooper was also remembered by friends for her upbeat personality and energy. Garrett, who knew the family before the shooting, described her after her death as a happy young woman with a bright smile. Those memories now form part of the family’s effort to ensure Cooper is remembered for more than the circumstances in which she died.
Her death remains the subject of an unresolved homicide investigation. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said officers responded to Old Plank Road after midnight on Nov. 1, 2025, and found Cooper suffering from a gunshot wound. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel were called to investigate, and police later identified Cooper as the victim.
Investigators have not publicly announced what led to the gunfire or who fired the shot that killed Cooper. Earlier this year, police and Crime Stoppers representatives said numerous teenagers had been at the gathering and that some left without speaking with officers. Cooper’s relatives have repeatedly urged anyone with useful information to come forward.
The anniversary gathering therefore carried two purposes for the family: remembering Cooper’s life and renewing attention on the unanswered questions surrounding her death. The scholarship adds a longer-term memorial, linking her name to young women trying to pursue education while relatives continue caring for the daughter she left behind.
No arrest had been announced as of the latest public reporting. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police continue to accept information about the homicide, including anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers, while Cooper’s family continues building a legacy centered on her daughter, her educational ambitions and opportunities for other young women.
Author note: Last updated November 3, 2026.