why did they kill off jackson west

Jackson West was killed off in the TV show "The Rookie" mainly because the actor who played him, Titus Makin Jr., decided not to return to the show. Makin chose to leave due to real-life concerns and ethical struggles after events like the deaths of George Floyd and Brianna Taylor, which made him uncomfortable playing a cop on the show without addressing the complexities of being a Black cop in America. Consequently, the show's creators had to write the character's death into the storyline, which happened off-screen in the season 4 premiere when he was shot by kidnappers. This death was sudden and controversial among fans who felt the character deserved a more heroic or nuanced departure. The decision to kill Jackson West was described by the showrunner Alexi Hawley as heartbreaking but necessary because the actor was not coming back, and the story arc required the character's presence or a definitive exit.