Mycheal Edwards-Wallace and Edwin Cooper Obituary, Death: 18-Year-Old All-State Football Star and 16-Year-Old Teen Fatally Shot at Kings Crossing Apartment Complex in Kingstree; South Carolina Community Reeling as Investigation into Weekend Double Homicide Unfolds

The town of Kingstree, South Carolina, is grieving deeply following the tragic and violent deaths of two young men—Mycheal Edwards-Wallace, 18, and Edwin Cooper, 16—who were fatally shot on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at the Kings Crossing Apartment Complex. The Williamsburg County Coroner’s Office confirmed the identities of both victims, and as investigators continue to seek answers, a wave of shock, sorrow, and heartbreak has enveloped the families, schools, and wider community touched by their lives.

Both young men were residents of Kingstree, a town where personal connections run deep and futures are often shaped by perseverance and hope. Mycheal Edwards-Wallace stood on the cusp of a life-altering journey—one marked not just by athletic achievement but by the promise of leadership, education, and opportunity. A recent graduate of Kingstree High School, he was widely known for his remarkable performance on the football field. His accolades included all-state, all-area, and all-region honors. He had been selected to play in the prestigious Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, a clear indicator of both his talent and discipline. Just weeks away from beginning his collegiate career at Newberry College, Edwards-Wallace had earned his place on their football roster and was poised to become a freshman contributor with immense upside.

His dreams, however, were violently cut short in the early hours of that Sunday morning when gunfire erupted at the Kings Crossing Apartment Complex. Authorities responded to the scene and found both Edwards-Wallace and Edwin Cooper, a 16-year-old youth from the same town, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Neither survived the encounter, their young lives ending in a moment that has left families shattered and a town searching for answers.

In the aftermath, Newberry College released an official statement mourning the loss of Edwards-Wallace, describing him as a “good student and a great young man with a terrific personality and a bright future.” Head football coach Todd Knight offered a heartfelt tribute, stating, “It’s such a tragedy for a talented young man to be struck down at such a young age. We were really excited to have him as a part of our team. He will always be a part of our Newberry family.”

The college’s full statement extended condolences not only to Mycheal’s family but also to his friends and teammates, emphasizing the widespread impact his loss would have on those who knew and supported him. For Newberry—a school known for its tight-knit athletic community—the death of one of its incoming players is more than a recruiting loss; it is a personal wound that cuts to the core of what it means to believe in a young person’s future.

Edwin Cooper, though less publicly known, was no less important to his community and family. At just 16, his journey was still unfolding, his story only beginning to take shape. The absence of details about his academic or athletic life does not diminish the scale of the loss. Like Edwards-Wallace, Cooper’s death leaves an indelible mark on those who raised him, taught him, and dreamed alongside him. His life, though not publicly documented in accolades, was nonetheless worthy, valuable, and deserving of remembrance.

The Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office has launched an active investigation into the double homicide. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made, and authorities have not released additional information about possible suspects, motives, or the events leading up to the shooting. The uncertainty surrounding the case only deepens the emotional toll on families and community members, many of whom are grappling not only with grief but with the frustration of unanswered questions.

Law enforcement has issued a public call for information, urging anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has knowledge of the circumstances to come forward. In a case involving two teenagers killed in a residential complex, cooperation from the community could be crucial to piecing together a timeline, identifying those responsible, and delivering justice.

The shooting occurred in the Kings Crossing Apartment Complex, a residential area that has now become the center of forensic scrutiny and emotional gravity. While investigators comb the scene, gather witness statements, and analyze physical evidence, the community is left to process the broader implications of such a loss. For many residents of Kingstree, the deaths of Edwards-Wallace and Cooper represent more than individual tragedies—they are reflections of systemic concerns: the prevalence of gun violence among youth, the fragility of potential in the face of violence, and the urgent need for stronger support systems, intervention strategies, and community healing.

The emotional resonance of this tragedy is amplified by the contrast between Edwards-Wallace’s achievements and the suddenness of his death. Here was a young man who had done everything “right”: excelled in school, committed to athletics, earned his way into college. His story was not simply about football—it was about possibility, about transformation. To have that narrative interrupted so violently poses painful questions about what young men of color face, even when they are on paths widely celebrated by society.

Similarly, Cooper’s age alone—just 16—places his death in a category of heartbreak that transcends statistics. His future, like Edwards-Wallace’s, was ahead of him. Whether he aspired to higher education, skilled trades, or community leadership, those aspirations were extinguished on June 29th. In communities like Kingstree, every young life holds exponential value. The loss of even one reverberates through classrooms, living rooms, and churches.

Schools and counselors are now preparing to support students and families as they confront the shockwaves of grief. In the coming days, vigils will likely be held, memories will be shared, and the weight of absence will settle into spaces once filled with hope. For Kingstree High School, the loss of a recent graduate and a current student within the same event is nothing short of catastrophic.

The deaths have also reignited discussions about community safety in residential areas. The Kings Crossing Apartment Complex is not just a site of violence—it is home to families, children, and elderly residents who now must reconcile their need for security with the trauma of what occurred. Local leaders will almost certainly face growing pressure to address questions about surveillance, security presence, and preventative community programs.

As of now, police continue to investigate with urgency but caution. Given the sensitive nature of the case and the ages of the victims, officials have been tight-lipped about the scope of their findings. Whether the victims were targeted, involved in an altercation, or unintended casualties remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that the community is united in its demand for justice and its outpouring of sorrow.

This dual homicide also underscores the broader challenges that many small American towns face: limited law enforcement resources, the unpredictable spread of violence into previously quiet communities, and the burden of mourning lives that were just beginning to bloom. While urban gun violence often dominates national headlines, incidents like this demonstrate that no community is immune to its reach.

In death, Mycheal Edwards-Wallace and Edwin Cooper are now part of a shared narrative that no one wanted to write. It is a narrative of talent unfulfilled, of promise halted, of dreams deferred. But it is also a call to action—for remembrance, for change, for a renewed commitment to the young people who walk the same hallways, ride the same buses, and wear the same jerseys that Mycheal and Edwin once did.

As tributes pour in and investigators continue their work, the hope remains that the stories of these two young men will not end with the sound of gunfire, but with a collective resolve to ensure that no more futures are lost in the silence that follows.