Next Day, Less Than Half A Mile From The HUGE KCPD Garrison At 27th & Prospect...,

kmbc  |  33-year-old Ahmad Simmons was shot and killed at 37th and Prospect on the morning of April 15. His murder happened two blocks away and a few hours after another homicide at 35th and Prospect.

A father and community activist is hoping to put rumors to rest one week after his son was killed at 37th and Prospect.

That area has seen a lot of violence recently, prompting Kansas City Police to step up patrols. Last week alone, Kansas City, Missouri, police reported more than 30 gunfire incidents where more than 200 rounds were fired.

Mark your calendars for next Thursday, Sept. 23! The KCPD Explorer Program is open to youth ages 14-20 interested in careers in Law Enforcement. They are having an open house at East Patrol Division in the Community Room. Text "EXPLOREKC" to 41444 to RSVP! pic.twitter.com/jU80INDa94

— kcpolice (@kcpolice) September 15, 2021

Ahmad Simmons, 33, was shot and killed at 37th and Prospect on the morning of April 15. His murder happened two blocks away and a few hours after another homicide at 35th and Prospect.

His father says it was senseless and there was no reason for his son to die.

“When you speak about him, you speak about the ultimate kid that you would want to have,” Thomas Simmons said. “People right now are generally in disbelief, you know, who would kill the Taco Man?"

The 33-year-old was known for his food truck and his heart.

“You can kill people, but you can't kill who they were,” Thomas Simmons said. “This is a legacy, I'm sure, is going to live for years and years and years.”

Darren Faulkner works with KC Common Good – a nonprofit organization working to address the root causes of violence. He said Simmons’ death was likely a retaliation after the murder at 35th and Prospect a few hours earlier.

"There had been some rumors put out in the community that this was a gang hit,” Faulkner said. “Because of this rumor that was put out in the community, another person died. An innocent person died."

Faulkner said that rumor is all that it is, and the community needs to know that.

"I feel like that was part of the narrative that needed to be told to keep this from becoming even a worse situation than it is,” Faulkner said.

Simmons is hopeful other families will not have to feel his same pain.

"He's going to be missed. I mean, greatly missed by not only the people, his family. I mean, I'm sure this whole community,” Thomas Simmons said.

Thomas Simmons also said his son had never been in a gang.