A man who shot and killed another man Friday morning will not be facing charges related to the shooting death of the late 24-year-old Izerion Cooper. Anfrnee Cystrunk-Taylor shot the man after what police say was an armed burglary.

Paid Advertisement

“The current state of the investigation into the shooting death of 24-year-old Izerion Cooper that occurred in the 1500 block of 30^th Avenue on Friday, June 21, 2024 at 4:25 a.m. suggests that a burglary was committed earlier in the day at the address and a firearm was stolen by Mr. Cooper and Dieonte A. Lee (20 years old).  Later that day, Mr. Cooper returned to the residence to retrieve property that he left behind.  The tenant of the residence was now home and a physical struggle ensued.  Mr. Cooper was armed at the time of the struggle. The tenant had become the victim of an armed home invasion at his residence and acted in defense of himself.  2011 Wisconsin Act 94 provides individuals with the privilege to protect themselves in certain circumstances.  We have worked closely with the Kenosha County District attorney’s office and have collectively concluded that given the information and facts known at this time, no homicide related charges will be referred or filed.  Mr. Lee has since been arrested and charged with Burglary – Arming Self with a Dangerous Weapon (Party to a Crime) and theft of a firearm. Detectives are still actively investigating the incident and are asking for anyone with information to please come forward,” said Lieutenant Josh Hecker, a Kenosha Police spokesman.

Paid Advertisement

Reached by phone today by KCE, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said that as the facts are known now by his office, there will be no homicide-like charges being brought against Mr. Cystrunk-Taylor.

Paid Advertisement

There may be some low-level crimes charged, but police and the DA’s office seem to agree – this was self defense.

Paid Advertisement

A Kenosha man named Dieonte A. Lee, Jr (20) Lincolnshire, IL, who was on the scene, initially lied to police and said that he was sleeping during the shooting, but later told police a more accurate story of what really happened. Izerion Cooper lived with his sister, Tomorrow Wright, across the hallway from a man named Anfrnee Cystrunk-Taylor, the man who shot and killed Cooper. Wright, Cooper, their cousin DaPrince and their friend Lewis were all hanging out and drinking. Cystrunk-Taylor was drinking with them at one point in the night.

Paid Advertisement

According to texts on Lee’s cell phone, the deceased man, Cooper, asked the others to distract Cystrunk-Taylor so that he could burglarize Cystrunk-Taylor’s apartment. At one point, Cystrunk-Taylor returned to his apartment to find his apartment ransacked. He had a gun missing and cash missing from a safe. The missing gun was found in Cooper and Wright’s apartment later by police. Cooper apparently left his cell phone in Cystrunk-Taylor’s apartment while he was burglarizing it.

Paid Advertisement

Cystrunk-Taylor came back into his apartment and called 9-1-1 to report the burglary. This is when his door opened and the three armed men came into his apartment, according to Cystrunk-Taylor. Cystrunk-Taylor was in fear for his life and tried to grab the gun out of Cooper’s hands. Cystrunk-Taylor had a gun in his own waistband and eventually shot Cooper in the head, killing him instantly. Cystrunk-Taylor told police he was scared and jumped off of his second floor balcony to escape the other two men.

Police made contact with Cystrunk-Taylor and Cystrunk-Taylor told police what happened.

“[I] was scared he had a glock we tussled over it cause I didn’t want him to shoot me in the kitchen he already had pushed me into the stove an over trash an the living room…fired my fire arm over my to the left I was terrified because there where 3 of them as they all had guns an they had already had taken my other firearm an every thing a turas g2c an clips an money I had in the safe the first chelf (sic) in my room I had the other gun on my person..I locked the door an jumped off the Balcony called 911…I am not running I should have stayed”

In court today was 20-year old Dieonte A. Lee, Jr, 20, of Lincolnshire, IL. He was charged with Felony Burglary – Armed With A Dangerous Weapon and Theft of Movable Property (Special Facts). He faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted.

On June 16, 2021, Cooper was charged with:

Armed Robbery with Threat of Force
Theft-Movable Property fr. Person/Corpse
Intimidate Victim/Threaten Force, etc.
Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money (Three Counts)
False Imprisonment

The Kenosha DA’s office allowed him to plead guilty to only Theft-Movable Property fr. Person/Corpse and Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money. All other charges were dismissed and he only got 30 months in prison, but got program eligibility for early release.

Asked about the police and DA’s decision on this matter, criminal defense attorney Michael D. Cicchini had the following comment:

“Based on the facts that have been released, the decision not to prosecute the tenant appears to be the correct call.  I’m not involved with this case in any way, and from an outsider’s perspective it looks to me as though D.A. Graveley has analyzed the facts and the law, and has made the right decision.”

This is a hard case to follow, so KCE is posting the entire criminal complaint: