Benyamin Hawthorne Jr., a 17-year-old Black male, was remembered by his family as a kind, gentle, and beautiful spirit who brought joy to everyone he met. His father, Benyamin Hawthorne Sr., described him as a leader and an amazing young man who was deeply committed to his family. He had a church home he attended regularly and was always looking for ways to help, whether it was cutting grass or working on houses with his grandfather. He was productive and dedicated, practically raising his younger siblings. “If you knew him, you loved him,” his father said. He was a constant presence in his family's life, so when he didn't answer his phone on the evening of May 16, 2024, his family began to panic.
That evening, around 6:30 p.m., Benyamin was at the Town Fork Creek Greenway Park near East 57th Street and Bellefontaine Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. According to police, an interaction or dispute occurred among several people at the park's basketball court. The argument escalated, and gunfire erupted. Officers from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department were dispatched to the park, located at 5701 Agnes Avenue, in response to the shooting. When they arrived, they found Benyamin suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics with the Kansas City Fire Department joined police in rendering aid, but the injuries were too severe. Benyamin Hawthorne Jr. was pronounced deceased at the scene at 6:45 p.m.
The investigation into Benyamin’s death was immediately opened by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department under case report number KC24031380. Detectives determined that the shooting stemmed from the altercation at the park, but no arrests have been made and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an active and unsolved homicide.
Less than a week after the shooting, on May 22, family, friends, and community members gathered for a vigil at the park, just feet from where Benyamin lost his life. The event was organized by KC Mothers in Charge, a local anti-violence group. His father spoke through his pain, trying to hold onto the memories of his son. “It’s senseless to me,” Benyamin Hawthorne Sr. said. “No apparent reason my son is gone. Just one day at the park and he’s gone. Man, I’m going to miss him. It’s like every time I blink I see, I see his face.” He urged other parents to keep their children close and hold them accountable.
Rosilyn Temple, the founder of KC Mothers in Charge, also spoke at the vigil, highlighting the devastating toll of gun violence on the community. She noted that Benyamin was the 52nd homicide victim in Kansas City that year. "Ben was only 17 years old; when are we going to stop killing our babies?" Temple asked the crowd. "As a community, if we don’t address it, it’s not going to get addressed. It is a community problem. When are we going to say enough is enough?”
The pain of Benyamin's loss remains sharp for his family, who are still seeking answers and justice. His father described the feeling as "a long way away from peace." The Kansas City Police Department continues to investigate the homicide. As of May 2024, no suspects have been arrested. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online at KCcrimestoppers.com, or use the P3Tips mobile app.
