Father of 12-year-old shooting victim speaks out after accused murderer's arrest

KTRK logo
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Murdered boy's dad speaks out after suspect's arrest
Authorities have arrested a suspect known as "Chirp," charged with murder in the New Year's Day shooting death of 12-year-old Deunte Cooks

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man known as "Chirp" has been arrested in the shooting death of 12-year-old Dunta "Bubba" Cooks .

Dunta was shot and killed last week at his mother's home in the 2500 block of Bammelwood Drive in northwest Harris County.

Kahlid Yusuf Worrell, 24, aka "Chirp", is charged with murder. He was arrested Tuesday afternoon, along with his girlfriend, after officers with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force stopped them near Veteran's Memorial. Worrell had no comment to our questions as he was taken into custody by homicide detectives.

"I could do something real bad to him. I could make him suffer, but that's not good enough because it's not going to bring my son back," Dunta's father, De Undra Cooks told Eyewitness News after Worrell's arrest.

Two others -- 22-year-old DaShawn Norwood and 18-year-old Rogerious Grant -- were also shot. Norwood was shot multiple times and fled the scene to a nearby neighbor's house for help. Grant, who has Down Syndrome, suffered a graze wound. Both were sent to the hospital. All three shooting victims are related.

Worrell had been on the run since the shooting. According to court records, he was at the house on Bammelwood at the time. Dunta's family says Norwood, owed Worrell money. It escalated and there was gunfire.

Dunta was in 7th grade, played the piano and was active at church. His father is struggling to understand why this happened.

"I could have gave $2-300 instead of killing my son. People always say, you know, at the wrong place and wrong time. No, he wasn't in the wrong place he was in thr right place and I just don't understand it and I'll never understand it," Cooks said.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit is investigating this case. They have not released a motive.