West Valley road rage victim memorial destroyed; family seeks answers

PHOENIX - A memorial for a young man killed in a road rage shooting has been destroyed, and the victim's family is seeking answers, having just added to it the night prior.

The memorial was put up in memory of Jordan Middleton, a 23-year-old who was shot in the area of 67th Avenue and Thunderbird in July 2023. Middleton was taken to the hospital after the shooting, and died there.

"Taking it one day at a time. Still trying to fight the fight, keep his memory alive," said Jennifer Kemp, Jordan's mother.

Since Middleton's death, a memorial was put up in his memory. On Feb. 12, Middleton's family came out to clean up the area and add more items to the memorial.

"There was a bench that was made that some of his friends and his sister and I signed," Kemp said. "There was a token of little bikes, candles, flowers, a couple of stuffed animals from his girlfriend, she had left those here."

On the morning of Feb. 13, the memorial was destroyed. Everything was gone, except the rocks.

"The rocks were kicked. They weren't removed. The rocks that have his initials were kicked around, all the way out into the road there was some. There was some around the corner."

Kemp is heartbroken, knowing someone would try to take away one of the last memories she has of her son.

"We did this so we had some place, his friends had some place, I had some place to go when I came here to remember him," said Kemp.

At the time members of Middleton's family were interviewed, they said they don't care who took it – as long as they bring it back soon, no questions asked.

"Just bring us our stuff back," Kemp pleaded. "It holds a place in our heart."

Kemp also said she reached out to the City of Glendale and the City of Peoria. Officials with both cities told Kemp they did not remove the memorial, and she is allowed to have it there.

After our story aired, Kemp said the family got the belongings back from the person responsible.