Five teenage suspects have been charged in the shooting death of Kevin Cooper, a Portland grandfather and church minister who police say was shot multiple times during a late-night home invasion in Southeast Portland and died more than a month later from his injuries.
The case, which investigators say is tied to a wider string of robberies, has unfolded in stages since the shooting on Nov. 1, 2025, with arrests spread across months and more charges possible. Two suspects were taken into custody days after the shooting on unrelated gun and robbery allegations, and three others were arrested later as detectives served search warrants and tracked leads with the help of federal marshals. Police have said Cooper was shot inside his home in the Lents neighborhood and that investigators concluded five suspects invaded the house and fired in front of his family members. The suspects range in age from 17 to 19.
Portland police officers responded at about 12:30 a.m. Nov. 1 to reports of a shooting in the 9300 block of Southeast Ramona Street near Southeast 92nd Avenue, authorities said. When officers arrived, they found Cooper with multiple gunshot wounds, police said. Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he remained in serious condition. Cooper died Dec. 12, 2025, police said, and the death was investigated as a homicide. Cooper was 56, according to Portland police statements and local reports.
Family accounts described a chaotic break-in that unfolded within earshot of people sleeping inside the home. In reporting on the case, relatives said the intruders banged on the door and claimed to be police officers before forcing their way inside. The family said Cooper moved to shield a 4-year-old grandchild during the invasion, placing himself between the child and the gunfire. Police have not released a detailed minute-by-minute narrative of what happened inside the house, including how long the intruders were inside or what, if anything, they took. Investigators also have not publicly described whether the suspects wore gear to impersonate officers or simply used the claim as a ruse to get the door opened.
Detectives said they pursued the investigation even while Cooper was hospitalized, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses and running down leads. Portland police said the Enhanced Community Safety Team led the work with help from the Major Crimes Unit, and that detectives were also investigating the same suspects in other robbery cases. After Cooper died, police said the Homicide Unit began collaborating closely with the teams already working the case. That coordination, police said, helped connect the shooting to suspects who were already on investigators’ radar for other violent crime reports.
Two of the suspects, Zyaire E. Carter, 19, and Ty’Davion C. Burton, 18, were arrested on Nov. 7, 2025, on charges tied to incidents that police said occurred before the home invasion. Portland police said members of the Special Emergency Reaction Team and the Crisis Negotiation Team made those arrests. Authorities said the unrelated allegations included attempted murder, assault, robbery and unlawful use of firearms. Police did not publicly link those earlier accusations to Cooper’s death in their summary, but said the arrests came as detectives were still building the homicide case.
On Jan. 6, 2026, police served three search warrants in succession and arrested two more suspects, Jayden J. Sarinana, 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile male, police said. Investigators said those two were taken into custody in connection with robberies that also happened before the homicide. Police have not publicly identified the juvenile because of age. In the weeks that followed, a Multnomah County grand jury indicted four adult suspects on murder charges related to Cooper’s death, authorities said. The fifth suspect, the juvenile, faced charges in juvenile proceedings, police said.
Jordan C. Perkins, 18, was the last suspect to be taken into custody. Police said officers coordinated with the U.S. Marshals Service to arrest Perkins on Feb. 5, 2026. By late February, police said Carter, Burton, Sarinana and Perkins were being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center, while the 17-year-old remained in custody at a juvenile facility. Police said the suspects are also being investigated in connection with additional robberies and that more charges could be pending.
Prosecutors and police described a mix of homicide and violent-crime counts that differ by defendant. Police said Carter and Burton faced murder in the first degree, along with weapons charges and additional counts including first-degree assault, first-degree burglary, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, menacing and multiple counts of recklessly endangering another person. Police said Sarinana, Perkins and the juvenile faced murder in the second degree, along with similar allegations that included first-degree assault, first-degree burglary, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, menacing and multiple counts of recklessly endangering another person. Police statements listed some charges as multiple counts, underscoring that investigators believe more than one person was placed in danger during the invasion and shooting.
Authorities have not publicly explained why first-degree murder charges were filed against Carter and Burton while the other suspects were charged with second-degree murder, a difference that can reflect how prosecutors assess intent, planning or a defendant’s specific role. Police also have not released probable-cause affidavits or other documents detailing how detectives matched each suspect to the scene, what physical evidence was recovered, or whether investigators believe one person fired the fatal shots. Court schedules and filings for the adult suspects were not detailed in the police press release, but local reports said the cases are expected to move through hearings over the coming months.
The killing and the allegation that the intruders pretended to be police struck a nerve in Portland neighborhoods already anxious about violence and property crime. Impersonation claims can add fear because residents are taught to respond quickly to police at their door, while also being warned about scams and fake authority. In interviews after the arrests, community members told local media the shooting remained a painful topic even months later. One neighbor said people in the area were still mourning and struggling to make sense of why Cooper would be targeted. Another resident said she felt relief that the suspects were no longer on the street.
Cooper’s relatives described him as a steady presence who centered his life around family, faith and work. Police said the family wanted the community to know Cooper was a grandfather and a minister in his local church who was devoted to his family. In television interviews, Cooper’s older brother said he was devastated by the loss and described Cooper as a God-fearing man who did everything right. The brother said the family did not know the suspects and believed the attack was random. Local reporting also described Cooper and his brother as having worked together at a glass company, a detail that neighbors cited as part of his identity in the area.
Police Chief Bob Day called the death “a tragedy in every way” and said he hoped the arrests would be a step toward healing for Cooper’s family. Day thanked detectives, forensic specialists and officers who responded to the shooting and worked the case, and he also credited partners in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. Police have not said whether additional suspects are being investigated beyond the five teens already charged. They have said the five suspects are under investigation for other robberies and that the criminal cases could grow as detectives continue comparing evidence across incidents.
As of late February, the homicide case stood with all five suspects in custody and facing murder and related felony charges, while investigators continued reviewing other robbery cases for possible links and prosecutors prepared for the next round of court hearings in the adult cases.
Author note: Last updated February 26, 2026.