As promotional material for The Rookie started coming out in the weeks leading up to the series' Season 4 premiere, fans noticed something was wrong. 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 be killed off 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 returning for Season 3, but he still returned for the third season after having a heart-to-heart conversation with showrunner Alexi Hawley.