Community food truck event honors Kansas City food truck owner killed in Prospect shooting

A public food truck event Thursday afternoon will honor a Kansas City food truck owner who was killed in a shooting over a week ago.

Dyamund Shields Jr., 31, was working out of his food truck, Chicken Mac-N-Cheese, when a disturbance erupted and escalated into gunfire during an overnight gathering on Prospect Avenue Aug. 5. Five others were injured and Shields died of his injuries, according to previous reporting.

The event on Thursday, hosted by Marcom-Harvey Funeral Care, hopes to raise funds for Shields’ children during the public viewing, with at least seven trucks each donating 10% of their proceeds.

“This was such a tragic loss for our community but we will celebrate Dyamund with the things he loved the most. People and food,” the funeral home said in a Facebook post.

‘He was so selfless and put family first’

In his obituary, Shields was described as a hard worker with an entrepreneurial mindset.

He and his father, Dyamund Shields Sr., shared a love for food and opened up Chicken Mac-N-Cheese as a restaurant in 2011. When his dad passed away in 2017, Shields converted the business into a food truck to continue the legacy.

Shelle West, a close friend of Shields, said she had known him since childhood, describing him as generous and lively, with a passion for giving back to the community through cooking.

“He was so selfless and put family first,” West told The Star. “He was very humble in everything that he did.”

Along with chicken and macaroni, Shields served sandwiches, seafood dinners and various pasta dishes. Chicken Mac-N-Cheese was a fixture at fundraisers, events and parties around Kansas City and near Prospect Avenue.

Shields wouldn’t hesitate to help those who couldn’t afford his food, West said. He’d give free meals to the homeless, ask someone for a donation in replace of payment or give a complimentary drink with a meal.

Outside of the food world, Shields loved spending time with his kids and family. According to his obituary, he enjoyed singing with his daughter Ryme, cooking with his oldest daughter Cymphany, and was excited for his baby son Dyamund III. Shields also had a close relationship with his mother who he shared poetry with and sought advice for new dish ideas.

The visitation will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15. Those who can’t attend but want to donate money to Shields’ kids can send money through Cash App at $kcfuneral care and put Dyamund Shields in the subject, or bring the donation to the funeral home.