On the evening of January 2, 2018, 17-year-old Matthew Haylock of Independence, Missouri, was found fatally shot in the parking lot of the Independence Center, in the 18800 block of East 39th Street South. Officers responded to reports of gunfire about 8:30 p.m. and discovered Haylock lying unresponsive outside the mall; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say Haylock had arrived at the mall in a vehicle with two other teenagers, identified as Tyler J. Gates and Luis Ramirez. Prosecutors alleged the shooting followed a planned robbery aimed at stealing Haylock’s firearm, and that a struggle inside the vehicle ended when Gates shot Haylock. A relative reportedly told police Gates admitted saying, I shot him mom.

Tyler J. Gates was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action; Luis Ramirez was charged as well and later pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and armed criminal action, receiving an eight-year sentence for the robbery count and three years for the weapons count. At Gates’ June 2019 trial, the defense sought to present a self-defense claim but the judge barred it; Gates was convicted and sentenced to 20 years. The Missouri Supreme Court later overturned that conviction and sent the case back for a new trial.