Ronald Darnell Cooper, 21, returned to the Dallas County Jail under a $1 million bond after a brief hearing in Dallas County District Court Wednesday.

Cooper, of Selma, stood quietly between his court-appointed attorney, Joseph Hagood, and Selma Police Detective

Mike Harris. Cooper’s mother and brother stood to one side as Harris answered questions from assistant District Attorney Shannon Lynch.

Harris testified eyewitnesses to the New Year’s Eve shooting said Cooper and Alice West became involved in an altercation outside the 12 Stone, a club on Water Avenue.

“Mr. Cooper was choking Alice and had a gun to her head,” Harris told the judge.

Eyewitnesses, including the victim’s mother, said Kevin Stallworth, 28, a security guard at the club came outside to stop the fight, the detective said.

Cooper swung around and fired the .380 handgun and a slug struck Stallworth in the chest, Harris said.

The detective testified Stallworth was “barely breathing” when police officers arrived on the scene minutes after the shooting.

Stallworth died later at Vaughan Regional Medical Center.

After the shooting, Cooper ran from the scene to the Selma Police Department and the jail. The jailer called for assistance from a supervisor, saying Cooper was creating a disturbance, Harris said.

The detective said he traced the route from the club to the police department and found the .380 in a trashcan.

Later, during a videotaped interview, Cooper admitted the gun was his and he had shot Stallworth, Harris said.

Hagood objected to Harris’ testimony regarding the videotaped statement, but Judge Bob Armstrong allowed the detective to speak, saying this was a bond hearing, which allowed greater latitude.

At one point after the hearing, Cooper’s brother, who was not identified, burst out in court, saying , “Somebody drugged my brother; they put something in his cup.”

Armstrong ordered the man detained briefly, then had court security release him.

Hagood said he will file a motion for the judge to reconsider the high amount of bond.

Armstrong, speaking to the defendant Cooper, said, “We’ve got a problem in the community with some people who think it’s OK to swing guns around and shoot people.”

Armstrong called the shooting a double tragedy, referring to the death of Stallworth and the youth of Cooper, charged with the shooting.

However, the judge said he did not think a $1 million bond is enough, but allowed it to stand because the district attorney’s office recommended the amount.

Cooper is expected back in court, Thursday, Feb. 3, for a preliminary hearing.