‘His entire life ahead‘: Family raises money for man fatally shot on Christmas Eve in KC
The family of a 20-year-old man fatally shot on Christmas Eve in Kansas City are raising money to help pay for his funeral.
Nicholas “Nicky” West was pronounced dead after he was found shot in a parked car around 10 a.m. on Dec. 24 in the area of Eighth and Olive streets, according to police.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found a different man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.
Across the street, officers found West shot inside a parked car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police haven’t identified a suspect or a motive for the killing.
Michelle West, who said she was Nicholas West’s aunt, wrote on GoFundMe that he was a caring and intelligent person who had a “contagious smile.”
“Anyone who had the honor of knowing Nicky felt the love that he so willingly gave,” Michelle West wrote.
“Nicky faced many hurdles in his short life,” she continued, “but even in the face of adversity, he continued to persevere and always cared & did for others, even if he had little to give himself.”
Nicholas West is survived by six brothers and sisters, and was preceded in death by his mother, grandmother, “the love of his life” and his younger brother, Michelle West wrote.
Michelle West hopes to raise money to pay for the funeral service that her nephew deserves.
“Nicky had his entire life ahead of him,” she wrote, “and our wish is to send him off with the utmost love and care.”
The homicide was the 181st killing in Kansas City this year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. This year is on track to outpace 2020 as the deadliest year ever recorded in the city.
Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide unit at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information provided to TIPS that leads to an arrest.
This story was originally published December 28, 2023 at 12:43 PM.
