On the night of Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the quiet atmosphere of a residential neighborhood in Grandview, Missouri, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Officers from the Grandview Police Department were dispatched just after 9:30 p.m. to the area near the intersection of East 119th Street and Delmar Drive following frantic reports from residents who had heard the shots.
Upon their arrival, the first responders began to scour the scene, eventually making a grim discovery in the backyard of a local residence.
Lying unresponsive on the ground was 19-year-old Derrick Judie Jr., an African American male who had sustained gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel worked quickly to transport him by ambulance to a nearby hospital in hopes of saving his life. Despite their efforts and the immediate medical attention he received, the young man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival, marking the city's first homicide of that year.
In the days following the tragedy, investigators worked to piece together the events that led to the shooting, but information remained scarce. By the end of that week, law enforcement officials announced that they had not yet identified any suspects in the case. While police continued to canvas the area and appeal to the public for leads through anonymous tip lines, no arrests or charges were immediately reported in connection with his death, leaving the investigation active and ongoing as detectives sought justice for the victim and his grieving family.
