Case Profiles #71
Kwante pictured left, Kelly pictured right
Kwante Feliciano and Kelly Cooper
On March 25th, 2013, Hartford, Connecticut police were alerted to gunshots being fired in the area of 150 Clark Street. When police arrived, they saw a red pickup truck speeding away from the area and officers followed in pursuit. When they apprehended the truck, the driver, Randolph Feliciano, frantically told police that his son, who was in the truck with him, had been shot and he was getting him to the hospital. Police escorted Randolph and his son, 19-year-old Kwante Feliciano, to St. Francis Hospital. Kwante had been shot in the center of his chest and was devastatingly pronounced dead on arrival. Police learned that at around 5:00 p.m., Randolph had heard gunshots and looked out the window of his home on Clark Street. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing: his son Kwante being chased by a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and shooting at him. Randolph then saw his son get hit by the gunfire and fall to the ground. The shooter ran off on foot. Randolph ran to his son, tried to give him medical aid, and then lifted him into his truck and sped off to the hospital.
As police are gathering this information, another car speeds onto hospital grounds. Several friends urgently said that they drove their friend, 30-year-old Kelly Cooper, to get help as he too had been shot by a shooter in a hooded sweatshirt on foot on Clark Street. Kelly had been talking to his friends and was standing in the passenger doorway of a parked car when he saw the shooting of Kwante. Suddenly, as the shooter fired shots at Kwante while running, Kelly began screaming. He yelled out that he had been hit and then collapsed onto the ground. He had been shot in the head. Kelly arrived at St. Francis Hospital in critical condition, and he took a turn overnight and died the next day on March 26th, 2013 at 11:45 a.m. Police believe the murder of Kwante was related to a conflict with someone from the neighborhood referred to as “New Jack City,” but there have been no further leads. 19-year-old Kwante Feliciano was a college student studying to be an automotive technician. He was lovingly nicknamed “Da Prince” and his obituary said that he “was loved by all he came in contact with, especially the ladies. He had the most beautiful smile and will be remembered for his kindness, loving nature and devotion to his family and friends.” 30-year-old Kelly Cooper was a great guy and friend, and was a wonderful dad to his four children. He was struck in the head by a stray bullet when he was just hanging out with friends.
The only information available is that the shooter was roughly 5’6” and 180lbs. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt at the time of the shooting. Anyone with any information about the murders of Kwante Feliciano and Kelly Cooper is asked to please call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 860-722-8477 or Sgt. Brandon O'Brien at 860-757-4089. Callers will remain anonymous.
Kevin pictured left, Joshua pictured right
Kevin Campbell and Joshua Steele
On September 2nd, 2018, at roughly 1:30 a.m., the city of Hartford, Connecticut and their police force were alerted to a house in the “Behind the Rocks” neighborhood. The city’s ShotSpotter first alerted for 10 gunshots fired, and then alerted a second time to 12 gunshots fired. When police arrived on the scene, they discovered a whole yard full of chaos and pandemonium. At least 100 people were present, and a lot of them were walking about, panicked, heading to their cars to get away. On the scene, police discovered two men who had been shot, and a third who had been wounded in the foot. The first two men were unconscious and clearly were suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. They were brought to the Hartford Hospital where they were both pronounced dead on arrival. They were later identified as 34-year-old Kevin Campbell and 28-year-old Joshua Steele. Kevin Campbell was a local youth basketball coach who had earned a high level of respect from his student athletes and was known to be a great person. Joshua Steele had just passed the test to obtain his CDL Class A license and was to start a new job as a truck driver. The police investigating thought because of the high attendance rate, somebody had to have seen something, however, no one has ever come forward. The murder weapon has also never been found. If you have any information regarding the murders of Kevin Campbell and Joshua Steele, please call the Connecticut Cold Case Unit at 1-866-623-8058.
Image sources:
gunmemorial.com - “Kwante Tyshawn Feliciano” and “Kelly Karod Cooper”
gunmemorial.com - “Kevin Campbell” and “Joshua Steele”