Detroit fireworks shooting suspect arrested

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DETROIT (FOX 2) - The suspected shooter at the Detroit fireworks in June has been arrested, according to Detroit police on Monday.

Officials announced on Monday that 19-year-old Romulus man Alphonso Cooper Jr. was arrested for allegedly shooting two people in downtown Detroit while in a crowd of people waiting to watch fireworks.

The backstory:

On Monday, June 23, minutes before fireworks began, a fight escalated to gunshots in the area of Larned and Randolph.

Detroit police say Cooper Jr. got into an altercation over a debt of $200 with another man when he allegedly pulled out a gun and fired two shots.

Cooper's alleged target, a 17-year-old from Romulus, was shot while an uninvolved 22-year-old woman in the crowd was also hit. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

What they're saying:

Police say Cooper Jr. was arrested at a home in Washtenaw County on Monday afternoon.

"Our officers have worked countless hours on this investigation to ensure that we brought the individual responsible for the fireworks shooting into custody," said Detroit Police Chief, Todd A. Bettison. "I am confident that Alphonso Cooper Jr. is the person who fired the shots at this year’s fireworks, injuring a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old woman. I want to thank the community for all the tips, along with my officers and all of our law enforcement partners who assisted in this process."

When the shooting occurred, police say 18-year-old Markalowe Keith Steen Jr. was with Cooper when the shooting occurred. Both men then ran from the scene.

He was arrested on Friday, July 4.