On the evening of Wednesday, September 17, 2025, the calm of a Kansas City, Missouri neighborhood was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Just before 9:30 p.m., local law enforcement officers were dispatched to the area near the intersection of East 10th Street and Prospect Avenue after multiple residents reported hearing shots fired. Upon their arrival at the scene, which was located near an apartment complex on the east side of the intersection, police discovered an unresponsive 37-year-old
male lying on the ground. Emergency medical personnel were immediately summoned to the location, but despite their rapid response, the man had sustained fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene, marking the city's 117th homicide of the year.
Detectives from the Kansas City Police Department’s homicide unit quickly secured the area, searching for evidence and potential witnesses in the densely populated residential vicinity. Preliminary findings from the investigation suggested that one or more unidentified suspects had fired shots at the victim before fleeing the scene. Because the shooting occurred in close proximity to an apartment complex, investigators expressed hope that residents might have seen or heard details crucial to identifying those responsible. Law enforcement urged the community to come forward with any information, directing tips to the homicide unit or the anonymous TIPS Hotline to aid in the ongoing inquiry.
The victim was later identified as Ashton Terron Hams, a Kansas City native known affectionately to his friends and family as 'Cuddie.' Born in 1988 to Marla Dixon and Reggie Brooks, Ashton was a graduate of Southeast High School and had built a life in the community, working in water management and later as a food prep specialist at a senior living facility. He was remembered as a devoted father to his four children and a role model who took pride in his appearance and his culinary skills. In the wake of his untimely death, his family and community were left to mourn the loss of a man who was described as a strong advocate for local youth.
As of the last available reports, no arrests had been made in connection with Ashton Hams's death. The investigation remained active, with police continuing to piece together the sequence of events that led to the fatal shooting. While authorities worked to identify the individuals involved, the case underscored the persistent challenge of gun violence in the area, leaving a grieving family to wait for justice for their son and father.
