Pregnant mother gunned down in Rockdale County neighborhood identified

CONYERS, Ga. - A 24-year-old woman is dead and another is in custody after a shooting overnight in Rockdale County.

Arkia Tate was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.   

Deputies were called out to a home on Golfview Terrace, off of Salem Road, around 12:45 on Thursday morning. At the home, officials say they found the victim, but it was too late. She died at the scene.

It didn't take long for deputies to have a suspect in custody. People at the home gave them a description of a possible getaway vehicle. About 2 miles away on Interstate 20, a deputy spotted a car matching that description. He pulled it over in the westbound lanes, near the Salem Road entrance ramp. A woman inside the car was apprehended. At that location, FOX 5 saw a gray Dodge that ended up being towed away with two sheriff's vehicles following.

A family member of the victim told FOX 5 that the victim was the mom of a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old and had just found out that she was pregnant again. They identified her as Kyla Cooper. 

Kyla Cooper (Photos provided by family)

The family member, who asked to be called DJ, said that the woman had driven to her boyfriend's home to tell him the news when his other girlfriend came over, leading to an argument that escalated into the deadly shooting. 

Detectives have not confirmed the family's information and have shared only a few details about what led up to the shooting. They did say there were other adults in the home at the time but no children.

Who is Kyla Cooper?

Ronald Countee, Cooper’s father, said his daughter was a mother of two.   

According to Cooper's father, she drove to boyfriend Rashad Thompson's house to tell him she was pregnant with his child. 

Tate, who was also reportedly in a relationship with Thompson, showed up at the house. 

"There's no justification for this whatsoever.  I don't see it. This girl is simply going over there to establish a pregnancy," Countee told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes. "I guess the girl who the house belonged to came pulling in and sees them arguing.  They said my daughter never even had a chance to defend herself.  The girl just pulled a pistol out and shot her right in the head, point blank range." 

Tate fled the scene. Police caught up with her a short time later and took her into custody. The victim's boyfriend was arrested at the scene on unrelated charges. 

If you have any information about the shooting, call the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office.