BRYAN, Texas — A man from Lexington, TX has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for a murder that took place in May 2021, according to a release from the Brazos County District Attorney.
On May 21, 2021, Amarion Cooper fatally shot 23-year-old Cameron Gray in what would later be discovered as an attempted robbery during a drug deal. During an investigation into the case, it was discovered that Cooper and Gray had agreed to meet up to buy THC wax and marijuana.
When College Station Police arrived at the HEB store on Texas Avenue in response to the shooting, they attempted to save Gray's life, but he later died at the hospital.
A short time after the shooting had taken place, a blue Honda CRV that Cooper and another individual used to flee the scene arrived at the St. Joseph's Emergency Room in College Station. Cooper was in the vehicle alongside the other person involved in the shooting. According to the release, Cooper had been shot in the leg.
When Cooper and the other individual involved were arrested, they were charged with Aggravated Robbery, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana, but had a Murder charge added after authorities finished their investigation.
During his trial, Cooper also pled guilty to a Deadly Conduct Discharge of a Firearm charge from September 2020, which carried a 10-year prison sentence. He also had pending charges from Travis County and Milam County at the time of his plea.
"Citizens in this community should be free to go to the grocery store without fear of being collateral damage in an Aggravated Robbery," Assistant District Attorneys Brian Price and Kara Comte said in a release. "Such brazen acts of violence and disregard for the safety of others require a strong response."