Aaron Miguel Conell, a 24-year-old from Pasadena, has been charged with murder and other gun-related crimes by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Conell’s arrest followed the fatal shooting of 64-year-old Mickey Cooper in Washington Park, located in the 700 block of East Washington Boulevard, as announced by the Pasadena Police Department.
Mickey Cooper, identified as the brother of Lakers legend Michael Cooper, was shot in the park where he and his brother frequently played basketball. Michael Cooper expressed gratitude to the police for their swift action in apprehending Conell after the incident, which he described as a tragedy in a place previously considered safe by his brother.
The District Attorney’s Office, on Wednesday, charged Conell with murder in relation to Mickey Cooper’s death and with attempted murder for an October 29 shooting that also occurred in Washington Park. Additionally, Conell faces an assault charge with a semiautomatic firearm for an incident on November 5. In this instance, Conell allegedly approached a car at a Pasadena gas station and pointed a gun at a man in the driver’s seat.
District Attorney George Gascón expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased and support for the wounded victim. He strongly condemned these acts of violence, particularly in a public park, and reaffirmed the commitment to combating gun violence while seeking justice for the victims and ensuring community safety.
Conell is currently detained at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, with bail set at $4.025 million. He is scheduled to appear in Pasadena Superior Court on Monday. If convicted on all counts, Conell faces a potential sentence of 50 years to life in state prison.
