WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A painful plea was made by a West Palm Beach woman who had a life-changing encounter with an armed robber two years ago.
It happened on Halloween night, 2014. Lyndsey Cooper, who was 20 years old at the time, arrived to the home she shared with her mother, at 1:30 a.m., after a night shift at her pizza delivery job.
It was then when an armed robber approached her and demanded her purse, to which Cooper obliged. The armed robber then shot her in the face and fled the scene with what police said was less than $60.
The then 20-year-old walked inside the home shortly afterwards and woke her mother as she held her jaw. “When I walked inside my house, with my face in my hands, to wake my mom up and let her know I got shot, I never thought I was gonna live,” Cooper said.
After several surgeries, Cooper continues to deal with a lengthy recovery process, but chose to make a plea to the public Tuesday afternoon.
“I want to know why,” said Cooper. “Why was robbing me not good enough for you? Why did you have to shoot my face and leave me there just to die? This upcoming surgery will be number 14. I have gone through 13 major reconstructive surgeries on my jaw, face, throat, teeth, gums – everything you can imagine that has to do with the mouth.”
Two years later, Cooper still carries the pain of the shooting. “There’s no words for it. It’s the worse pain anybody could ever imagine,” she said.
Despite this, she said she is now stronger than ever. “He took my life, but he made me stronger than who I was before,” Cooper said.
The case is currently cold, but community members and family of the victim are hoping that this fundraiser and plea will rejuvenate interest in the crime. “I’m asking you please, just please turn yourself in,” Cooper said.
Cooper’s mother, Dawn, also had some words for the shooter. “You have no soul. You have no conscience and no compassion. You are an evil person, and God will be your judge and jury when you meet your maker,” she said.
Since Cooper is still in need of an additional surgery, a local lawyer and IHOP are expected to host a fundraiser for Cooper on Saturday at a local lawyer’s office, at 101 Northpoint Parkway in West Palm Beach. The fundraiser is set to begin at 10 a.m.
The robber remains at large. If you have any information on this robbery, call Palm Beach Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.