On November 26, 2021, 32-year-old Edmon E. Alexander III, an African American male, was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Blue Valley Market in Kansas City, Missouri. The incident occurred in the evening at the corner store located near 43rd Street and Cleveland Avenue. Police officers responded to reports of gunfire around 7:40 p.m. and discovered Alexander suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from an altercation in the market's parking lot. Surveillance footage showed Alexander exchanging words with the occupants of a gray Nissan after he accidentally dropped a significant amount of cash on the ground. As the vehicle drove away, Alexander retrieved a firearm from his own car and fired shots in the direction of the departing Nissan. He then waited inside the store for a friend. When he eventually exited the market, the gray Nissan returned to the scene, and occupants fired from the passenger side and backseat, striking Alexander.
Detectives traced the suspect vehicle to a residence in Kansas, leading to the identification of three suspects: brothers Byron Fowler and Bonzel Fowler, and Bonzel's wife, Tateona Jackson-Williams. In April 2023, a Jackson County jury convicted Byron Fowler, then 32, of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action. He faced a prison term of up to 30 years and was scheduled for sentencing in June 2023. Bonzel Fowler and Tateona Jackson-Williams were also charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. As of Byron's conviction, their cases were still pending in Jackson County court. Bonzel Fowler had previously told investigators that he returned to the scene and fired in self-defense after Alexander had initially shot at them.
