On a cold December evening in 2019, the life of 19-year-old Timothy Simmons was tragically cut short in a parking lot in Moline Acres, a municipality in St. Louis County. The night of December 12th saw a violent outburst that would not only end one young life but also irrevocably alter others. That evening, a car pulled up behind the vehicle Timothy Simmons was in and waited for approximately 20 minutes before pulling alongside and opening fire.
The hail of bullets that pierced the night
air left a devastating scene in its wake. Timothy Simmons was fatally wounded and died at the scene. The attack was not limited to him, as two other individuals inside the same vehicle sustained serious injuries. The indiscriminate nature of the violence was further underscored as another person in a nearby car was also shot and seriously injured. The incident sent shockwaves through the community, prompting a swift and thorough investigation by the St. Louis County police.
The investigation into the quadruple shooting led authorities to identify Anthony Tate Jr. as the suspect. Surveillance footage played a crucial role in the case, capturing Tate at a nearby gas station just four minutes after the deadly assault. Police were able to connect him to the vehicle used in the commission of the crime and found him in possession of a firearm that matched the ballistics evidence from the scene. Tate was subsequently arrested and faced a litany of charges for his role in the violent ambush.
Anthony Tate Jr. was charged with one count of first-degree murder for the death of Timothy Simmons, in addition to three counts of first-degree assault, five counts of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. In January 2023, a jury convicted Tate on nine felony counts. Following his conviction, he was sentenced to life in prison, bringing a measure of justice to the family of Timothy Simmons and the other victims of the senseless shooting.
