MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — A man will serve prison time in the 2019 shooting death of a 16-year-old boy at a party in Muskegon.

TJ Purnell was sentenced Thursday morning to second-degree murder in the death of Zamarian Cooper. Purnell was sentenced to 13 to 70 years. Other charges against him were dismissed.

Cooper was shot in the head late on Aug. 17, 2019. Officers found him lying in an alley off Smith Street near E. Laketon Avenue, close to a Dollar General store. He later died at the hospital.

Cooper’s family said he was walking his sister home from the party when he was hit by the bullet. Investigators said that an argument erupted at the party, leading to gunfire from at least four shooters. Cooper happened to be in the line of fire.

Zamarian Cooper
An undated courtesy photo of Zamarian Cooper.

Purnell pleaded no contest to the murder charge in September.