Father of teen killed in I-170 shooting remembers daughter, moment he learned of shooting

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Alyssa Wilson is being remembered by her father, Robert Hickman, and her family, after being shot and killed on I-170, just two months before turning 18.

“As Alyssa said it, she was a boss,” Hickman recalls. “That’s what she thought she was and that’s what she was.”

Hickman said he first grew concerned about Alyssa after a friend of her reached out after Alyssa didn’t show up for a friend hangout at the St. Louis Zoo.

“Her friend had sent me a message and said, ‘Hey, have you heard from Alyssa?’ And I said, ‘No, why?’ And she said, ”Well, Alyssa never showed for Boo at the Zoo.’ So, instantly, I text [Alyssa] and said, ‘Hey, is everything okay?’ Never got a response. And from there, I went to our Life360 app and noticed where she had been for an hour and a half.” Hickman said.

The St. Louis Major Case Squad Monday released the identities of the suspects as Willie and Taiya Herndon, a married couple in their 40’s from Arlington, Texas. Investigators say the couple parked on the side of an on-ramp leading onto I-170 shortly after 7 p.m. on Wednesday, before investigators say Willie stepped out of their car, saw Alyssa’s car drive by, and fired one shot at her, injuring her and causing her to crash. She was transported to a hospital, where she later died.

Robert Hickman says Alyssa wanted to become a police chief one day, with ambitions to attend Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and study Criminal Justice and join the ROTC program. Alyssa was also in the process of being adopted by Hickman when she died.

“Alyssa happened to be one of my students, her freshman year of high school. She was in my physical science class and I taught her. And we just… we had an instant connection,” Hickman explained. “Teachers talk about having those kids that are always in their classroom during lunch and stuff. And I think in three years, I don’t think I ever had a lunch without Alyssa.”

Hickman said that even with charges filed against Willie and Taiya Herndon, he can’t understand the random act of violence.

“I always sat in our dining kitchen area, just looking at the door, hoping and waiting for her to come home,” Hickman said. “After today, kind of realizing that unfortunately that’s not going to happen. I just think to myself, like, why did, why did you choose her? And we’ll never get that answer. I don’t think.”