Richard Price, 41, a Black/African American male from West Palm Beach, Florida, was shot and killed late on August 21, 2025. Officers were called just after 11 p.m. to the 1400 block of 13th Street, where they found two men with gunshot wounds; Richard Price, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene while the second victim was rushed to a hospital with serious injuries.
Detectives worked through the night.
Witnesses described a shooter who fled on a black scooter, and surveillance video showed a man matching that description lingering near the crime scene as police investigated. Tracing those leads, investigators zeroed in on a residence along the 1300 block of North Tamarind Avenue.
By the next day, August 22, officers arrested Hilbert “Coop” Ellerbe, 53. He was charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Richard Price, 41, as well as attempted first-degree murder for the wounding of the second victim and possession of a firearm by a felon. Authorities said the swift arrest reflected coordinated detective work and community tips; Ellerbe was taken into custody less than 24 hours after the shooting.
In the aftermath, the case moved into the courts while police continued gathering evidence. Reports indicated Ellerbe was booked into the Palm Beach County jail, with additional proceedings to follow as the investigation remained active. Anyone with information was urged to contact authorities as detectives worked to fill in the remaining gaps about the events that led to the death of Richard Price, 41.
Loved ones prepared services in the days that followed, with public memorial details listing visitations and a celebration of life on August 30, 2025, at Greater Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in nearby Riviera Beach. Community remembrances noted Richard Price, 41, and marked the date of his passing in West Palm Beach.
