Two years after 17-year-old Therrell “TJ” Jackson was gunned down while walking in a quiet Northland community, the person responsible remains free. Investigators still have no identified shooter, no arrest and one stubbornly specific lead: an older pickup truck caught on surveillance video. For Jackson’s mother, the question of who killed her son remains.
Jackson was visiting friends in Avondale on July 30, 2024, when multiple 911 calls came in at 9 p.m. about gunfire near Northeast Ingram Street and Northeast Excelsior Street. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died, and investigators believe the shooting was targeted, according to KCTV5’s anniversary report.
The Truck Investigators Still Want Identified
The vehicle detectives believe was connected to the shooting is described as a dark blue or black 1996-98 Chevrolet Silverado Z71 4x4. It reportedly had the driver’s-side headlight out, a detail that could matter to anyone who saw it before or after the shooting. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance images and asked residents to help identify the truck.
The investigation has not simply been shelved while the calendar kept moving. A recent KSHB 41 report said 15 investigators spent a week in summer 2025 focused solely on Jackson’s case and reviewing the leads collected so far. There have still been no arrests.
According to the Kansas City Missouri Police Department’s Jan. 27, 2026 meeting summary, the department cleared 104 homicides in 2025, for a 75 percent clearance rate.
Jackson’s mother, Amber O’Connell, has described her only son as courageous, loving and hardworking. She told KCTV5 that he dreamed of entering construction and eventually building a home for her, while detectives have said witnesses and others in the community may know more than they have shared.
Reward Remains Available For Information
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest, KCTV5 reports. Tips can be submitted anonymously through the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers hotline at 816-474-TIPS, or through the P3 Tips app. Even a detail that seems minor — especially about the distinctive truck — could give investigators the break they have been waiting for.
