Tracy Collins, a 62-year-old Black man known to friends and family as "T.C.," was a beloved member of his family, survived by his mother, five sisters, two bonus daughters, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. His life was celebrated by all who knew him for the cherished moments and memories he created.
On the afternoon of Sunday, September 7, 2025, Collins was in the front yard of his home in the 700 block of North Piatt in Wichita, Kansas.
Just before 4 p.m., he was involved in a confrontation with two men and a woman. During the encounter, a gunshot was fired. When Wichita police officers arrived, they found Collins with a gunshot wound to his chest as his neighbors were performing CPR. He was rushed to a local hospital by paramedics but was pronounced dead.
The Wichita Police Department launched an immediate and intensive investigation. Officers deployed drones for aerial support, used a K-9 unit to track evidence, and relied on Flock camera technology to help locate the suspects. Police Chief Joe Sullivan praised the community, stating that "vital information shared by community members" was key to the investigation's swift progress. He called the shooting a "senseless act of gun violence" and noted that the neighborhood was traumatized by the loss of their neighbor.
Thanks to the combination of police work and community cooperation, two suspects were quickly taken into custody. Jahmarious Johnson, 19, and Mya Pitzer, 20, were arrested in connection with the homicide.
In September 2025, Johnson and Pitzer were formally charged with first-degree murder for the death of Tracy Collins. Pitzer faced an additional charge of criminal use of a weapon. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the confrontation or the shooting, and the case is now proceeding through the court system.
