On the afternoon of Saturday, June 23, 2018, 30-year-old Michael J. Hooker was inside a residence in the 2800 block of Kensington Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Around 5:30 p.m., two men arrived at the home, one of whom was later identified by authorities as Rodreko V. Jennings. Witnesses reported that an argument ensued between Hooker and the visitors, reportedly stemming from a dispute involving a woman.
During the confrontation, Hooker received a phone call from his girlfriend, who
had called to ask him to join her at a restaurant. According to court records, Hooker answered the phone but did not speak directly to her, instead leaving the line open as the situation escalated. He attempted to show his phone to the men to prove who was calling. Through the open line, his girlfriend heard him say, 'If you have a problem with me, then tell me you have a problem with me.' Moments later, she heard the sound of four or five gunshots followed by silence. She called out 'Hello? Hello?' but received no response.
First responders arrived at the scene to find Hooker suffering from fatal gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the residence. Following the incident, police initiated a search for Jennings, who was described as a person of interest and believed to have shaved his head bald. Prosecutors subsequently charged Rodreko V. Jennings, a 39-year-old male, with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Hooker's death.
