On January 17, 2012, a 33-year-old Black male named Leland Dickens, also affectionately known as 'Manny-Man,' was killed in a violent incident in Kansas City, Missouri. The shooting occurred during the late evening hours at a residence located at 4533 Askew Avenue. According to police reports, Dickens had stepped outside of his home to warm up his vehicle, likely preparing to leave, when the quiet of the night was shattered by gunfire.
Unknown assailants opened fire on Dickens while he was near his car. The sudden ambush left him with fatal gunshot wounds, and despite the response of emergency services, he succumbed to his injuries. The attack appeared to be targeted, yet the specific motive behind the shooting remained unclear in the immediate aftermath. Investigators processed the scene at the 4500 block of Askew, collecting evidence and searching for witnesses who might have seen the suspects fleeing the area.
Despite the efforts of the Kansas City Police Department, the case has remained classified as an unsolved homicide. Years after the tragedy, authorities continued to list the death of Leland Dickens among the city's cold cases, with no arrests reported and no suspects publicly identified. The police have periodically appealed to the public for information, offering rewards for tips that could lead to the identification and prosecution of the individuals responsible for cutting Dickens' life short, but the perpetrators have evaded capture.
