Why Was Jackson West Killed Off In The Rookie Reasons Explored

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 21, 2025, 7:30 AM

why was jackson west killed off in the rookie reasons explored

Titus Makin Jr.'s The Rookie character, Jackson West, abruptly departed the series towards the end of season 3, but there are behind-the-scenes reasons for why Jackson left. Assigned to the Mid-Wilshire Division, Jackson West was among the main police officers in The Rookie throughout the first three seasons. However, in the closing moments of The Rookie season 3, he and Lopez got kidnapped by Sandra de la Cruz's men during Angela and Wesley's wedding. While this alone did not confirm that Jackson left The Rookie, audiences started speculating about his departure after Makin didn't appear in season 4's promotional material. Speculations rang true when The Rookie season 4's episode 1 revealed that Jackson West tragically died. To confirm this news, season 4 featured CCTV footage that showed how Jackson was shot by Sandra de la Cruz's men when he tried to escape them.

The episode ended with a poignant scene where Angela Lopez paid her tribute to Jackson by naming her newborn son after him. While the show gives Jackson's characterization satisfying and emotional closure, his death in Rookie season 3 is upsetting given how he was among the primary protagonists since the show's first episode. Nathan Fillion's The Rookie has graduated into a long-running hit for ABC across six seasons, and now the popular cop drama has concluded season 7. According to reports (via TVLine), The Rookie's creators ended Jackson West's storyline in season 4 because actor Titus Makin Jr. did not want to return. Recalling the actor's decision to leave the series, The Rookie's showrunner Alexi Hawley said that after hearing the news of the actor's exit, they needed to do their best to honor him since he...

Although Hawley did not disclose the reasons behind Titus Makin Jr.'s decision to leave, Makin had considered leaving The Rookie in 2020 after learning about the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. In an interview (via EW), Makin recalled that while watching the news one day, he realized that he could not go back to "play a cop on a show and not talk about the... My character hadn't addressed any of that." The Rookie’s Jackson West quickly became a fan favorite character after his first arrival in the show. Inspired by his father, Jackson wanted to become a cop with the ability to make a better change in society. He followed the law and made sure that the department also followed the law.

His loyalty and dedication towards his work made him a remarkable character in the series. However, it is truly devastating to see such a compelling character die. At the end of season 3, Jackson West gets kidnapped by Sandra de La Cruz’s men. Things take a gritty turn in season 4. Viewers were expecting Jackson to make a comeback in the fourth season. However, it was revealed that Jackson had been killed.

The manner of his death also raised many eyebrows among the fandom. Let’s explore the reason Jackson West was killed off in The Rookie. The reason behind killing off such a compelling character has been revealed by Alexi Hawley, the showrunner of The Rookie, in an interview with TVLine. Hence, the decision to kill off such a character was mainly because of the actor Titus Makin, who plays the role of Jackson West in the series. Alexi also added, The Rookie Season 4 premiere featured a shocking development.

The character of Jackson West was abruptly killed off, leading to the immediate exit of original cast member Titus Makin Jr. Despite the cliffhanger in the Season 3 finale, which saw some police officers kidnapped by La Fiera (Camille Guaty), it wasn’t expected that a character would be killed. In the Season 4 premiere, the remaining cops watch security footage in which Jackson died from a single gunshot to the head. As a tribute, Angela (Alyssa Diaz) named her newborn baby after him. Makin did not return to film the scene, with a double used in his stead. The reason for Jackson’s death is quite complicated, but originated from Makin Jr., who wanted to leave the series.

As promotional material for The Rookie began to appear in the weeks leading up to the series' Season 4 premiere, fans noticed something was amiss. Without an explanation, Officer Jackson West, played by actor and musician Titus Makin Jr., was mysteriously missing. Fans were naturally concerned. Many hypothesized in the off-season that Jackson would die in the premiere, and sure enough, they were right. But why did Titus Makin Jr. leave The Rookie in the first place?

Jackson was unceremoniously shot in the back in the Season 4 premiere, "Life and Death," without even seeing his face. There was much speculation about Jackson's fate following the Season 3 finale, but the fact that Makin Jr. chose to leave shocked fans, even though it shouldn't have come as a surprise. The actor was open about debating his return for Season 3, but he ultimately decided to come back after having a heart-to-heart conversation with showrunner Alexi Hawley. His storyline that season attempted to address his concerns, specifically about how policing is portrayed in network procedurals like The Rookie. Nevertheless, it would still be his last full season on the series.

Updated on May 27, 2025, by Natasha Elder: Even though Titus Makin Jr.'s Jackson West left The Rookie several seasons ago, his lasting impact remains significant. Naturally, the reason for Makin Jr.'s departure has been a point of curiosity. This list was updated to delve into greater detail on the impact of the character of Jackson West, why Titus Makin Jr. left, and the character the show introduced to fill the gap left in his wake. Because of his father, Jackson spent most of his life studying to be the perfect police officer, yet he quickly learned that the job is more than memorizing penal codes and classroom scenarios. After freezing up in a shootout, West develops a kind of post-traumatic stress, bravely overcoming it early in the show's run.

Another episode in Season 1 tells a surprisingly powerful story about officers' discretion, highlighting the importance of giving some suspects a break. Near the end of Season 1, West falls out with his father after learning he planted evidence to get a conviction, setting up a larger arc for the character, and making him one of... Instead of being a strictly by-the-book officer, he wants to make sure the police themselves are following the law. Not all seven seasons of The Rookie are created the same. Some have stronger character arcs, while others create memorable cases of the week. Jackson West, played by Titus Makin Jr., was a beloved character on the ABC police drama The Rookie.

He was introduced in the first season as an ambitious rookie officer at the Los Angeles Police Department working alongside the show’s protagonist John Nolan (Nathan Fillion). However, in a shocking twist in the season 4 finale, Jackson was abruptly killed off, devastating fans. Over the course of the show, Jackson evolved from a wide-eyed rookie to a seasoned officer. He started off eager to prove himself but struggled with self-doubt and making mistakes in high-pressure situations. However, he eventually gained confidence and began earning praise from his superiors for his capability under fire. He formed strong bonds with Nolan and other rookies Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter).

In later seasons, Jackson confronted issues of racial injustice and police brutality. As a Black officer, he strove to change the system from within while facing discrimination himself. He also began a romantic relationship with his training officer Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz). Jackson came into his own as a moral compass within an imperfect institution. In season 4, there were ominous signs foreshadowing Jackson’s tragic end. He had several close calls that hinted he was in danger.

In one episode, Jackson narrowly survived getting shot in an ambush by a gang. In another, he voluntarily took the place of a fellow officer as a hostage in a hostage negotiation gone wrong. These instances suggested Jackson was on borrowed time. Jackson also struggled emotionally this season when his younger sister was the victim of a hit-and-run. Dealing with family tragedy took a toll on Jackson and his relationships. The writers seemed to be setting up Jackson for a heroic sacrifice by putting him through the wringer and testing his spirit.

His luck running out felt like a real possibility. As the news came to light that Titus Makin Jr. exited the ABC crime drama ‘The Rookie,’ fans could not hide their disappointment. Titus essays the role of much-adored Officer Jackson West, who has been a pivotal character in the show right from its debut season. However, the premiere episode of season 4 confirms the shocking death of the character. This abrupt end to Officer West’s journey upset the fans all the more as it closes the door on the possibility of seeing him again unless the character resurfaces in flashback sequences.

Naturally, you must be curious to know what happened. So, let’s get into the details and find out why Titus Makin Jr. left the series! Season 4 of ‘The Rookie’ brings with it quite a few shocking twists, the most unexpected being Officer Jackson West’s death. In the final episode of season 3, La Fiera kidnaps Angela Lopez, and as Jackson West tries to save her, he puts his life on the line. Season 4 opens with surveillance footage of kidnappers shooting a man resembling Jackson West in the back.

That is when fans knew they were to bid farewell to their favorite character. Although Titus Makin Jr.’s departure is all but confirmed, he hasn’t announced his exit publicly as of yet. But as fans anxiously waited for a statement from the actor, Alexi Hawley stepped up and addressed the matter. Speaking in a September 2021 interview, the creator and showrunner revealed that it was Titus’ decision to move on from the series. However, Alexi did not elaborate on why the star decided to step away. Alexi continued that with Titus unwilling to come back to film, the show tried its best to give the popular character an honorable send-off.

So, although the turn of events was quite heartbreaking, the writers had no choice but to kill off Officer West. Titus Makin Jr. has seemingly been off social media since mid-2021. And by the looks of it, he may not be interested in doing any exit interviews either, thus dashing the hopes of getting to know the real reason behind his departure. However, in January 2021, the actor had expressed some concerns regarding Officer West’s story arc as it did not address the fact that the character is a black policeman. Titus felt it was important to include that perspective, especially in light of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Why Was Jackson West Killed Off In The Rookie Reasons Explored

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