CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago police are questioning two men in Wednesday’s death of a 73-year-old man who was allegedly being carjacked on the South Side.
Keith Cooper, 73, was a loving father and grandfather. He had gone to run errands at Kimbark Plaza Shopping Center, near 53rd Street and Kimbark Avenue, in Hyde Park when two men beat him in the head around 12:35 p.m. Wednesday. It is thought that the men had planned to rob him and steal his car; but instead, after Cooper fell to the ground, the attackers ran off.
With the help of witnesses, the two attackers were pointed out and arrested a short time later.
Cooper's son-in-law, Curtis Carlton, told CBS 2, “You didn’t even get his car. You took his life. It was two guys preying on a senior citizen.”
Cooper was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Fire officials said he suffered cardiac arrest after he was attacked.
Cooper's daughter, Keinika Carlton, told CBS 2, “I know you’re going to eventually lose a parent. I would rather him went in his sleep, or something like that, but not like this. This was selfish. This is painful."
Keith Cooper was a Vietnam marine veteran, who was retired, but still did some rideshare work.
His daughter said he loved jazz music, sports, science fiction, and scary movies.
“It’s ridiculous. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s like, you know, if you need a car, there’s ways to get a car,” Carlton said. “That’s not the way – to harm an old man, somebody’s dad.”
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