"I have kids at home to raise," he told the judge.
Those "kids at home" are nine and two-year-old boys. Authorities say after shooting their mother in front of them, Cooper threatened to beat the 9-year-old if he told police.
It happened near the intersection of Crosslink and Rock Quarry Roads early Thursday morning.
The plea to the judge apparently fell on deaf ears. He set Cooper's bond at $1 million.
Cooper's wife was shot in the abdomen and taken to Wakemed, but her condition is not available.
