Teen accused of shooting at Orange County deputy arrested

Tyrese Cooper, 18, taken into custody in Polk County

ORLANDO, Fla. – An 18-year-old man accused of shooting at an Orange County sheriff's deputy last week was arrested Monday in Polk County.

Tyrese Cooper was arrested on charges of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault with a firearm, burglary of a structure and resisting without violence.

Details of Cooper's arrest have not been released.

Investigators say Cooper opened fire last Monday on a deputy's unmarked pickup truck in Pine Hills. 

Bullets struck the pickup and a nearby house, but no one was injured in the Wyndham Lane shooting.

Detectives said Cooper and the others who were with him knew who they were shooting at.

"We came into the knowledge of the fact throughout the course of this investigation," Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jeff Williamson said. "We believe that they knew that there was a law enforcement officer that was in that vehicle that they fired upon."

Three others were taken into custody last week in connection with the shooting.

Deputies said Matthew Jerome, 18, and Richie Pierre, 20, and Leonaldo Gourdet Jr., 20, were in Cooper's vehicle when he opened fire. They face charges of resisting and burglary.

Cooper could be taken to the Orange County Jail as early as Tuesday, officials said.

Watch News 6 and stay with ClickOrlando.com for updates.


About the Author

Daniel started with WKMG-TV in 2000 and became the digital content manager in 2009. When he's not working on ClickOrlando.com, Daniel likes to head to the beach or find a sporting event nearby.

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