The father killed in a mass shooting was remembered as funny and positive

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The mother of the man killed in a mass shooting in Baton Rouge said his death is a great loss to her family.

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“It’s like I’m in a cloud, in a place of disbelief. This whole situation is just surreal,” said Pamela Cormier-Coco.

She said she is still in disbelief after losing her son Dexter Cormier to gun violence. The father of two was hanging out with friends outside an after-hours bar when he was shot early Sunday morning.

“When he was shot, he was trying to enter his code into his phone to call. He told them. The paramedics began treating him and he told me to call my mom and tell my family I was okay. Those are the last words I got when he said he was going to be OK,” Cormier-Coco explained.

Baton Rouge Police arrested 24-year-old Michael Robinson and 30-year-old Tyrelle Hamilton. Hamilton is accused of obstruction of justice. Robinson is charged with murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder.

An arrest warrant revealed that Robinson admitted to shooting Cormier after he claimed he heard someone shooting while he was waiting for his food in a food tent. Investigators believe Robinson fired into a crowd, hitting six people, including Cormier, who later died at a hospital.

Dexter Cormier was the primary caregiver for his father, who suffered a stroke five years ago.

“I have never heard him complain in five years. I always heard him encouraging his father. When he does therapy, the relationship and the bond they have is just really special,” Cormier-Coco said.

As Cormier’s family tries to come to terms with this tragedy, his smile and warmth will always be remembered.

“Everyone says they never frowned on him. He’s always smiling. He just has this positive energy. When he comes in he will greet you and it’s almost like you’re family,” Cormier-Coco said. “Friendship was everything to him and if a friend was a friend to him, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for him.” “That makes me proud. Makes me feel good. Even in loss, just knowing that he was this wonderful being.”

The family will have a balloon launch at BREC’s Greenwood Park on Thursday, October 24th at 6:30 p.m.

Dexter Cormier(family members)