Feb. 10, 2026 3p; Edited on 2-11 for clarity
(WGTD)---The shooting death in Kenosha last week of a 16 year-old boy apparently was the result of a gun transaction between two groups of teens having gone bad. Both sides apparently had intended to rob the other.
Charges were filed Tuesday against 19 year-old Carlito Ayala and 16 year-old Aaron Cumberland in the death of another 16 year-old, Isiah Cooper, and the wounding of a 19 year-old man.
According to the criminal complaint, a 15 year-old boy, his brother-- the 19 year-old who was shot--;Cooper and another boy had driven in an SUV to an apartment in the Library Park neighborhood the evening of Feb. 4th. The 15 year-old purportedly had made arrangements with Cumberland to buy a gun.
Because Cumberland purportedly told him to come alone, Cooper and the 19 year-old were dropped off about a block from the apartment while the boy hid in the back of the SUV.
Almost immediately after the two defendants emerged from an apartment building to meet the SUV, a scuffle broke out in which the suspected gun buyer was attacked. Both defendants were purportedly armed.
The 19 year-old ran up to aid his brother, the would-be gun buyer, along with Cooper.
Gunfire rang out. Cooper was shot multiple times in the chest and face while the 19-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to his left armpit area and his back. The 15 year-old was hit in the head with a gun.
The first officers arrived to find Cooper lying in the street near death. The 19 year-old was sitting on the sidewalk.
Police arrested the defendants in a nearby apartment and found four guns. Also recovered were fake bills that the 15 year-old apparently had passed to Cumberland in an attempt to rob him of the gun.
In court Tuesday, bond for Cumberland was set at $1 million while a $2 million bail was set for Ayala who was out on bond awaiting trial for another offense. Charges include Intentional 1st Degree Homicide, attempted homicide, robbery and battery.
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