Around 10 in the morning on Aug. 14, 2008, two men were shot dead and found on K Street Northwest. Despite the public location and time of the crime, D.C. police investigators have yet to make an arrest in the case. Nolan T. Cooper, 61, and Johnquan D. Wright, 18, were found in the unit block of K Street, outside of Temple Courts, an empty, boarded-up public housing high-rise that has since been torn down. Both victims were familiar with the area. Wright lived a few blocks away; Cooper was homeless, but reportedly spent a lot of time in the neighborhood.
Cooper was survived by three children. He reportedly had not seen his family in the 20 years since he had left them for the streets.
Eighteen hours before his death, Cooper was released from three months in jail on minor drug and assault charges. The only thing found on him when he died were release papers from the D.C. Jail. He had also was jailed several times because of shoplifting.
In November 2007, police arrested Cooper near Temple Courts after finding a rock of crack cocaine in his pants. It was “an area known for narcotics distribution,” according to the police report.
Despite Cooper’s criminal history, a detective told the Washington Post that Wright was “almost certainly the target.”
Wright also had a criminal history. Court documents show that he was committed to Department of Youth Services custody after being released from the D.C. Jail on an armed robbery charge.
Authorities would not comment on what Cooper and Wright were doing or why they were killed. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Detective Jackie Middleton at 202-645-5501.
