Life In Prison For Felon Convicted Of Shooting Roommate Over Money

HEMET, CA — A 40-year-old convicted felon who chased down and shot his roommate during an altercation that erupted over money at their Hemet apartment, seriously wounding the man, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.

A Banning jury in April convicted Dante Trimell Cooper of attempted murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations for the 2022 attack.

During Wednesday's sentencing hearing at the Banning Justice Center, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Rene Navarro factored in Cooper's priors in determining the appropriate sentence.

According to Lt. Nathan Miller of the Hemet Police Department, at about 4:30 p.m. on March 2, 2022, Cooper was involved in a heated exchange with his roommate, identified in court documents only as a 42-year-old man with the initials "J.M.," at their shared residence in the 300 block of West Kimball Avenue, near State Street.

Miller said that the argument, connected to cost sharing, escalated into a fight, and the roommate "hit (the defendant) in the face and head and began running."

"(Cooper) chased after the man and then shot him several times," the lieutenant said.

Patrol officers reached the location within a couple of minutes and found the victim wounded but conscious, according to Miller.

He said the man pointed out Cooper, who was nearby, and the defendant was taken into custody without a struggle.

The victim underwent surgery at a regional trauma center and has since recovered.

Cooper was treated for his injuries and transported to the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

Court records indicate that he has multiple prior felony convictions in another jurisdiction, but they weren't specified.