KILLEEN, Texas — Two shootings. One murdered, one survived. And a host of questions soon followed.

On Aug. 1, 2021, 25-year-old Kentaro Cooper was shot and killed while working the overnight shift at the Valero Gas Station on Trimmier Road in Killeen. A young man with a bright presence who largely kept to himself, his family said.

"A big gamer, anime fan and liked to build the little models ... kind of stuck to himself, but whenever he made contact with anyone, it was like a magnet. They knew him, understood him, and said, 'Hey...he's a good kid,'" Kenith Coooper said about his son, Kentaro.

Four months and six days later, another shooting shocked the community.

A 21-year-old was shot five times at the Killeen Mall on Dec. 7, 2021. He survived thanks to the speedy action of first r

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