The man who passed away at the weekend fight in Exeter has been identified by the police. He has now been officially identified as Exeter native Stephen Cook, 45. Stephen Cook, who was stabbed in Exeter, was a father and a well-known figure in the neighborhood.
Former homeless man Stephen “Cookie” Cook had already spoken out about his situation. Keep reading this article to find out who is Hero Stephen Cook and what happened to him in detail.
What happened to Hero Stephen Cook?
Resident Stephen Cook, 45, was identified as the victim who passed away after being stabbed in Exeter over the weekend. At around 8.10 p.m. on Saturday, January 28, police and paramedics were summoned to Sidwell Street in Exeter. A murder inquiry was then launched.
Stephen was discovered with a chest wound from a stabbing. He was transferred to a hospital, where his injuries caused him to pass away.
A 32-year-old male and a 29-year-old woman from Exeter who had been detained on affray allegations were later freed on bail and ordered to report on Thursday, April 27.
Police Investigation
There will be no more police action taken against a 19-year-old without a fixed address who was initially detained on suspicion of murder but was later detained on suspicion of affray. On police bail, he was released, and he will be coming back on April 27. A 19-year-old Christchurch, Bournemouth resident who was detained on murder suspicion is still in police custody.
The inquiry’s chief detective, Detective Inspector Stephanie Blundell, stated: “Enquiries are ongoing, and citizens can expect to see continued police activity in Exeter related to this investigation over the next week.
“Given the current investigation, we would ask individuals to refrain from making assumptions about the facts of this case on social media.” On Monday, January 30, at roughly 2.30 am, the police barricades in Sidwell Street were lifted.
Who was Hero Stephen Cook?
Stephen, 43, is a well-known figure on the streets of Exeter. He has spent most of his life inside bars as a result of a disorderly lifestyle that includes drug and alcohol addiction and rough sleeping on the streets. However, not all of the headlines that included his name were negative.
Stephen, who once worked as a steel fixer and led a family life with a wife, kids, home, and automobiles, was a gifted guitarist who was frequently spotted on the main street practicing. He was renowned for carving colored stones into gifts.
“Courageous Act”
When he saved an unconscious man from the River Exe in 2017, everyone hailed him as a hero. One night, just before midnight, he saw someone on the Exe Bridges’ blue rails before they disappeared into the river. The man was about to perish when Stephen jumped into the murky water.
To raise awareness of the plight of the homeless people who are living on the streets at Christmas, Stephen spoke to DevonLive in 2021 about his life.
“Cookie shares about his life journey”
He explained how his chaotic lifestyle of drug and alcohol addiction and living on the streets had led him to spend half of his life in prison. He was looking forward to a new beginning at the time after quitting narcotics while he was incarcerated, but he said that upon his release, no housing had been provided for him to move into, forcing him to sleep on the streets of Exeter.
Stephen maintained his good spirits and optimism despite his situation. He stated: “I don’t want to revert to my former self. I don’t want to get into trouble again because I’ve spent the better part of my life behind bars.” Added him: “I have two children who live in North Devon and are 23 and 21 years old, which is one of the reasons I wish to change.
Third-year university student; my daughter. She makes me so proud, and I want her to feel the same about me.” He continued, full of hope that his life would improve: “I don’t want to use drug use as a justification any longer. I do drink every day to help me get through hard sleeping.”
His passion for music
He also expressed the desire to use his passion for music to score a major hit. Stephen explained how he had created the World Cup theme song while he was incarcerated.
Cookie stated: “My music teacher thought it was fantastic, but I need assistance in spreading the word. I would get in touch with my music instructor and focus on creating music if I had a location to call home. I am confident that I could be warm, tidy, and healthy if I had a base.”
Giving an overview of life as a homeless person in Exeter, he said: “I make an effort to be upbeat and not let anything depress me. If you’re depressed, you’re simply harming yourself.
“I strive to smile constantly, and I make it a point never to ask anyone for anything, especially money. I simply ask people whether they are enjoying their day, and if they are, I ask them to smile as they leave.
“I’d guess that 99% of the populace is beautiful, lovely, and willing to stop, chat, and even hold your hand. It proves there is no bias. I would prefer to have a conversation partner sit next to me for ten minutes.
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Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.
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