Food truck event planned for wake for murdered food truck owner in KCMO

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – A popular city in Kansas Food truck operator was killed last week did what he loved.

On Thursday, the food truck community, both operators and food truck fans, are invited to say goodbye at an event honoring Dyamund “DJ” Shields Jr.

A viewing is planned for Thursday afternoon at Marcom Harvey Funeral Home on Blue Ridge Boulevard. The family will also hold a private memorial service there to remember their 31-year-old father. But they say they knew he was so popular in the community that they had to organize something for everyone, too.

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“He was a loving son, a loving father. He just had compassion for people, for life, for what he did,” said his mother, Nechelle Kidd.

And Shields’ duties included cooking and bringing good old chicken mac and cheese to the community from the food truck he ran with his father until his father’s death.

According to police, it was right outside his father’s old restaurant near Prospect and Gregory, where the food truck operator, better known as “DJ,” was working a party with up to 1,000 people from Sunday night to Monday morning last week.

The family believes he may have been outside the truck getting ready for the night when a shootout occurred. 180 shell casings were found. Shields was probably caught in the crossfire and killed.

“This doesn’t just affect me, it affects many other people as well. Other people were injured that night. So it’s a ripple effect, a domino effect,” his mother explained.

Shields’ uncle knows all about this ripple effect. DJ was just three years old when Ricky Kidd was sent to prison for a double murder that a judge ruled he didn’t commit 23 years later.

“I always said that if my appeal was successful and I was reintegrated into society, I would meet them before they even commit the crime,” Ricky said.

And that is exactly what he has been doing since his release: He is trying to break the vicious cycle of violence that has now claimed the life of a family member who was apparently simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“We have to do better. I think it’s terrible that we get guns and people have no regard for life,” said DJ’s mother.

As they wait for answers from investigators about the incident, the family says they are frustrated and disappointed, but they hold no anger in their hearts. On Thursday, five years to the day since Kidd was released from prison and embraced by his nephew and other family members, they will honor Shields’ life in a fitting tribute.

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“For DJ, the food truck community was a huge part of his life. What better way to honor him than by sharing what he loved and having the community come together to celebrate him and the things he loved most,” said Aesha Humphrey, co-owner of Marcom Harvey Funeral Care.

The event will be held at Marcom Harvey on Thursday, August 15th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Operators are encouraged to bring their food trucks, but for scheduling purposes, they are asked to call Marcom Harvey on Wednesday at 816-763-9100 to reserve a spot.

A portion of the proceeds from food truck sales goes to support DJ’s three children.

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