LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — The family of a Lee’s Summit man shot to death last weekend in Topeka, Kansas, celebrated the 23-year-old's life Saturday at a funeral in his hometown, noting how he always said goodbye and showed his love.
Friends and family of Dwane Simmons gathered at Abundant Life Church less than a week after Simmons was killed in a shooting during the early morning hours April 28 in Topeka.
Simmons was student and football player at Washburn University. He was walking home from a party after celebrating with Icahabods teammate, Cory Ballentine, who had been drafted by the New York Giants one day earlier.
Ballentine also was shot, but he survived and has been released from the hospital.
Friends and cousins called Simmons a superhero, momma’s boy, and the perfect son during a series of eulogies.
“He loved to imitate people,” his stepmother, Yasmin Simmons, said while describing his sense of humor, "so we'd sit around the table and he would mock us, usually us disciplining him, making fun of us.”
Ballentine, who did not speak during the ceremony or to reporters, presented Simmons’ parents with Simmons' football jersey from Washburn.
“Today is hard,” Yasmin said. “We worked hard to make sure Dwane was put in good schools, sent to college, to graduate and to come home to us. Somebody stole that from us.”
Simmons was on track graduate this year.
Topeka police have not made an arrest in the case.
The pastor at Saturday’s funeral encouraged anyone who may know something to have a “courageous conversation” with detectives to help them solve the case.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to call the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400 or the Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. Anonymous tips also can be passed along online at www.p3tips.com/128 .
