‘Justice for my baby’: Mother seeks answers to who killed her son in KC’s Northland
Amber O’Connell made a tearful plea for witnesses to come forward with information on the killing of her son, 17-year-old Therrell “TJ” Jackson Jr., last summer.
“All I want is justice for my baby during these holidays,” O’Connell said during a Wednesday news conference at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in Liberty.
Jackson died after being shot in what investigators believe was a drive-by-shooting on July 30 in Avondale, a small city in Kansas City’s Northland.
O’Connell described her only son as intelligent, courageous and loving. She said he was family-oriented and protective of her and his older sisters.
“He’d do anything for anybody around him,” O’Connell said.
Jackson had a plan, she said, which included getting into the construction field and building her a home one day.
O’Connell said her son had a whole life ahead of him. At the time of his death, he worked at Worlds of Fun and helped with a friend’s company that moved soldiers on base.
“He was a hard worker and a go-getter,” O’Connell said. “He wasn’t scared of nothing. Streets got the best of him, I believe. I just want to know who did this to my baby. I just want answers.”
Detective Kristen Rivera with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said on the night of the shooting, they received multiple calls about shots being fired shortly before 9 p.m. July 30 in the area northeast of North Kansas City Hospital.
A few minutes later, they received additional calls saying that a young man had been shot in the 3200 block of Northeast Excelsior Street., Rivera said.
Sheriff deputies responded and found Jackson in the street. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation is ongoing, so Rivera couldn’t speak too much about the case. She said investigators believe Jackson was targeted but wouldn’t go into details about why he was targeted.
They also identified a vehicle they believe was involved, a 1996-98 Chevrolet Silverado 4X4 Z71. It was either dark blue or black and had had the driver’s side headlight out. Investigators believe there was more than one person in the pickup, Rivera said.
The sheriff’s office released a video of the pickup truck believed to have been involved and asked anyone who recognized it to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of $2,000 for information.
On the night of his death, Jackson was visiting friends and walking around in the area, Rivera said. She declined to go into further details.
Rivera said she wants the public to know that they will catch those involved. She added that, through their investigation, they are aware that multiple people have information on what happened and need to come forward.
For O’Connell, these holidays are very difficult because Jackson and his family had a great Christmas last year. It is hard without him this year, his mother said.
“I believe that God has our back, and we will find who did this to my baby boy,” O’Connell said.
