TikTok Star Cooper Noriega Dead at 19

TikTok users are struggling to make sense of influencer, Cooper Noriega. The California resident, who boasted nearly 2 million followers on the app, reportedly died Thursday, June, 9 The New York Post reports. His death came just hours after he posted a cryptic video about dying at a young age. Noriega was just 19-years-old. According to reports, a good Samaritan called emergency services after discovering the influencer unconscious in the parking lot of a mall near LA. Paramedics were unable to revive him. At the time of the filing, he was not in a vehicle and didn’t display any signs of physical trauma. As of now, officers do not suspect any foul play. The body is slated for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Hours before the tragic events unfolded, Noriega posted a video of himself lying in bed with the caption, “who else b thinking they gon d!€ young af.” A song by Miguel played in the background. His death also comes just a few days after he announced that he’d be starting a Discord page to address mental health, noting his own struggles.

“I’ve been struggling with addiction since I was 9 years old, you may think that’s crazy but that’s the life I’ve been dealt,” he wrote in the emotional post on June, 4. “I would like to use the influence I’ve been given to create a space built on spreading awareness and normalizing talking about mental illness.”

At the time of his death, Noeirega had 1.7 million TikTok followers, 95.7 million likes, as well as over 427,000 followers on Instagram. Fans knew him best known for posting lip-sync videos and short sketches.

Condolences about his death have begun to pour in. “I’m heartbroken and can’t imagine how his family and friends are feeling,” wrote one crestfallen commenter. Another commented in disbelief, writing: “Plz someone tell me it’s not true he’s not actually gone.” Regarding his last eerie video, one wrote, “The fact that he posted this couple of hours ago and now his dead?? This really breaks my heart … RIP angel.”