Detroit 19-year-old charged in fireworks shooting given $500k bond, considered danger to community

Detroit 19-year-old charged in nonfatal fireworks shooting

Alphonso Cooper was given a $500k bond after he shot two people during an altercation as the Detroit fireworks went off.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The 19-year-old charged with the nonfatal shooting that happened during the Detroit fireworks in June made his first appearance in court on Thursday.

Alphonso Cooper pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, and a five weapons counts.

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Weeks after he allegedly shot two people on June 23, Cooper was arraigned on nine felony counts including two accusing him of trying to murder the victims. Cooper fled the scene before his arrest two weeks later.

Appearing in the 36th District Court on Thursday, his defense attorney argued against recommendations for a $500,000 bond the prosecutor's office requested.

According to Mohammed Nasser, Cooper's attorney, his family was working with the lawyer's firm to schedule his surrender.

The family reached out to my firm, retained my services and was scheduling a surrender date. In the interim, he’s been taken into custody," Nasser told Magistrate William Burton.

The attorney said Cooper had no felony convictions and was employed with ties to the community.

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But assistant prosecutor Rhonda Haidar argued Cooper's absence for weeks was proof he was a flight risk.

"Mr. Cooper has three open larceny cases right now out of Romulus District Court with back-to-back offense dates from March of 2025," said Haidar.

She said Cooper had fired into a large group of people during the altercation, striking a 17-year-old male from Van Buren Township and a 22-year-old woman from Ferndale.

The incident happened around 10 p.m. near Larned and Randolph Streets when Cooper and the 17-year-old got into a fight, leading to the gunfire.

What's next:

Burton didn't believe Cooper was a flight risk, but said he was a danger to the community, setting his bond at $500,000.

A redetermination hearing for the bond is set for July 14.