On a late Friday night in the Cleveland neighborhood of north Minneapolis, the life of 21-year-old Shamar Laquan Simms, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short. On June 9, 2023, at approximately 11:40 p.m., Minneapolis Police responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the 3600 block of Penn Avenue North. Soon after, Simms arrived at North Memorial Hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Saturday, June 10, 2023. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that his death was a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.
Family and former teachers remember Simms as a happy young man with an infectious smile who was a bright light to those who knew him. A 2020 graduate of Columbia Heights High School, he had a fascination with cars, especially fast, foreign models, and dreamed of one day working with vehicles. His mother described him as a beloved individual who didn't bother anyone. At the time of his death, he was on the cusp of a new beginning, preparing to start a new job as a security guard in downtown Minneapolis and planning a move into a new apartment. He was the father of a one-year-old child and had another baby on the way.
The investigation into the shooting that ended Shamar Laquan Simms's life remains open and active. Preliminary information from the Minneapolis Police Department suggested that Simms was standing outdoors when he was shot. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with his murder, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The police have urged anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward and contact CrimeStoppers.
