Hours after burying his sister, Earl Simmons was shot during an attempt to break up a fight in his neighborhood.
What We Know:
- Simmons was a 54-year-old Black man who had buried his sister earlier that day at a church in northeast Columbus, Ohio. After the funeral, Simmons returned home soon after the funeral because he was expecting company for his 54th birthday. Soon afterwards, an altercation occurred in Simmons’ neighborhood which he attempted to stop. After a struggle, several weapons were fired, and Simmons was fatally hit by one of the bullets in the shoot out.
- Simmons was fatally wounded by the bullet that struck him and was transported to Grant Medical Center, where he died less than an hour later. The shooting occurred around 8:25 p.m on Friday at 2101 Schenley Drive. Simmons’ other sister, Jacqueline Burley, has stated that they are now preparing for Earl’s funeral.
- So far, Columbus Police have not made any arrests in the case, and there are not suspects. Witnesses have been encouraged to call Columbus Police Homicide Unit or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers with any information that could lead to suspects in the shooting. The lead detective on the case is Detective Westfall, and he is being assisted by Detective Kelley. It remains unclear what the initial altercation was about and what the motive was for shots being fired.
- Simmons’ mother, Betty Simmons-Williams, issued a statement on the most recent loss of her son, stating, “they need to get a handle on these guns.”
- She further mentioned that something should be done to get guns off the streets of Columbus. Earl Simmons is the 45th homicide in Columbus, Ohio, so far in 2021. President Joe Biden has recently expressed that he believes “rational” gun control legislation could pass via our country’s Senate very soon. The optimism comes amid the aftermath of multiple deadly shootings that occurred across the country this month.
A report released by Columbus police in 2020 revealed that out of the 127 people who were killed that year, 96 of them were Black and 84 of them were Black men.
