In the late afternoon hours of a September day in Kansas City, Missouri, the life of 20-year-old Makih Briggs was tragically cut short. On September 10, 2019, Briggs was behind the wheel of his Ford Mustang, a friend, 21-year-old Jalen Stevens, in the passenger seat, when an encounter at a local gas station turned fatal. An argument erupted, and as Briggs and Stevens drove away, they were followed.
The pursuit ended in a hail of gunfire near 80th Terrace and Blue Ridge Boulevard.
The Mustang, riddled with bullets, veered off the road and crashed into a parked vehicle. When emergency services arrived, they found both young men suffering from critical gunshot wounds. Jalen Stevens was pronounced dead at the scene. Makih Briggs was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day, September 11, 2019.
Investigators believe the shooting spanned several blocks, with casings and glass found at 78th and Blue Ridge Boulevard. The Kansas City Police Department identified a suspect vehicle, a black 2002-2008 four-door Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck that was towing a landscaping trailer. The brazenness of the rush-hour shooting left the community in shock and fear.
Despite the description of the suspect vehicle and public appeals for information, including a substantial reward for tips leading to the culprits, the case has grown cold. To date, no arrests have been announced in connection with the murders of Makih Briggs and Jalen Stevens. The investigation remains open as their families and the community await answers and the justice that has so far remained elusive.
