Randal Simmons, 51

Randal Simmons, a 51-year-old black man and a veteran of LAPD's SWAT unit, was shot during a standoff with an armed suspect at 19828 Welby Way in Winnetka at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6. Simmons was taken to Northridge Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m. Simmons was one of of four people killed by a gunman. According to police, a man called 911 at about 9 p.m. Wednesday night and said he had killed three of his family members. Officers with LAPD's West Valley Division called in the SWAT unit after the man refused to come out of the home. At about 12:30 a.m. SWAT officers broke through the front door, gunfire was exchanged and Simmons and another veteran officer were shot. The second officer was taken to the hospital, where he is  listed in stable condition, police said.

According to assistant police Chief James McDonnell, Simmons is survived by his wife, two children; son and daughter, and parents. Simmons' death is the first in the 27-year history of the SWAT unit, McDonnell said. For more on the incident see the Los Angeles Times Story.

More on Simmons in Jill Leovy's story

Comments

[ME]

God Bless his family...

[Sharon]

Its spelled Winnetka...that happened a few houses down from me

[mitchie310]

I know the Simmons family and my heart breaks for their loss. The senselessness of killing that runs rampant throughout our cities needs to stop. This man knew everyday that he put his life on the line to create a safer place for all of us. His job was to help us, as communities be safe.

Today is a sad day for the entire city of Los Angeles, a kind, and caring man, as well as great father and husband was lost today. My life has been changed forever.

[Yessica]

Thoughts and prayers are with Officer Simmons' family, friends and all who knew him, as well as the injured officers.

[Adam]

R.I.P Officer Randal Simmons. You're memory will live on in the hearts of your family, friends, and LAPD family. You are with the lord now, protecting us all, like you have protected people you're whole life. Bless you.

[Adam]

God bless you, Officer Randal Simmons. Your memory will live on in th hearts of your famlily, friends, and LAPD fazmily, You're with the lord now, protecting us, like you have your whole life on this earth. R.I.P. Our hero.

[CARMEN]

WHAT A SHAME THIS IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. MAY GOD BLESS HIS FAMILY AND GIVE THEM STRENGHT AND PEACE IN THEIR HEARTS.

[Sergio]

Los Angeles has lost a great man today. God Bless The Simmons Family

[KWinn]

What a shame. May the family know that others are praying for their strength during these trying days while they have to relive his death over and over again on the news; my heart is breaking for this family!!!

[M. Thompson]

My heart goes out to Ofc. Randal Simmons & his family.
May God bless and comfort you in this time of need.
You were a great man.
God Bless

[Laura in L.A.]

I am heartbroken and sickened at the loss of Officer Simmons. There just aren't words. I would like his family and friends to know that I am thinking of them and praying for them. God Bless you all.

[Margaret]

I did not know Randal....but may you "REST IN PEACE"!! And my heart and prayers for his family & freinds. How someone could do such a thing...without even thinking. What the #*$#& is going thru their head..innocent people are getting killed everyday.....WHY?? May the other officer have a full recovery. And for the the other 3 who were killed...RIP.

[M. Thompson]

May God bless and comfort his family in this time of need.
Ofc. Simmons was a great Christian man.
God Bless

[Dave Milam]

My heart goes out to Officer Simmons' team and family. I was inspired to read about the life of Officer Simmons. What a shame this had to happen for me to be able to read about a man such as him living out his Christian witness.
God bless his family. - Reader from Ohio

[Todd]

I was at Washington State from 1979-81 From one Cougar to another,God bless you and your family.We need more heroes like you in the community.

[Michelle]

My heart breaks for the loss of such an amazing person.... may God bless his family and the family of Ofcr James Veenstra.

[Wendy L.]

My heart goes out to all the ones who had any part of this ordeal. And my deepest condolensences to the officer and speedy recovery for the other. BUT, my heart goes further for the family that has lost everything and everyone as well. That day, I lost a great friend, Endi; and I guess, we'll never know the reason why it all had to end this way, for all of them. RIP to all, and may God Bless Their Souls.

[KM]

It's heart breaking when a good officer goes down. My heart goes ou to his family at such a devistating time. My heart also goes out to the victims of the mentally diabled person. My heart goes out to him as well, how terrible he must have been feeling to think that it was OK to kill off his family.

[VG]

Besides the badge he was a person just like everyone else. What I think that makes him special is not the LAPD history or SWAT work he did as a career that is something he chose and knew the risks it takes, but the invovlement with youth and church that is what is important. Others should work with at risk youth, I do.

[smokeonit]

shouldn't the headline read "homicides" instead of "homicide"?

or is the death of one police officer worth more than the family members of the insane murderer that murdered 3 of his family and the police officer???

[smokeonit]

and as long as guns are readily available to everybody nothing is going to change...!

[pat]

God bless LA.swat member Randy Simmons was his name..,gunned down while doing his job as a swat officer,a good man,most important he was a devoted Christian man. I did not know him,but read about him in the newspaper. A church leader who was known to help troubled kids. He is with no doubt rejoicing with the Lord, HALLELUJAH!!!!!!! God bless Randy Simmons,our brother in Christ,God bless his family and God bless all our law enforcement officers who risk their lives for us.

God bless our brother in Christ,REJOICE !! REJOICE !!! RANDY REJOICE WITH OUR LORD IN HEAVEN.., HALLELUJAH !!!

Gabriel

[Basil Kimbrew-TEAM MATE]

My condolence to the family, I played at Washington state university with Randy, and when the team went to the 1998 Rose Bowl, Randy bought me my Rose Bowl coat because there was only one left and he gave it to me because he remembered that I loaned him my football shoes when he forgot his one day at practice. I will give the Rose Bowl coat to his son and wife. Randy always said that he wanted to be a minister, and he finally did that. Randy will be truly missed.

Basil Kimbrew, former Team-mate Washington State University football player

[Richard H]

To "whocares" and GETOVERIT,

If you hate this blog, don't read it. Simple as that.

I don't care for the "Woman in progress" blog or "The Dish Rag" so I don't read them. I don't rant about them, I ignore them.

The "Establishment"? Isn't that some sort of sixties hippie expression?

[DPY #9 Fairfax '74]

To "whocares" and "get over it", It's easy to look at death as a "statistic" and be unattached to a given situation through media exposure, but keep in this in mind, there is a wife without a husband, a son and daughter without a father. I truly pray you two don't ever have to call 911 to have the"etablishment" help you out in a emergency. I have the honor of saying Randy "Sambo" Simmons was my teammate at Fairfax High. I've spoken to some players and we are not at all surprised that it was Randy who decided to step through that door Thursday morning to help someone in need. Randy is a hero, not a statistic. RIP Sambo #25

[Vicky]

I want to send my condolences to all the families of all the murdered victims. As a Mother of a Murdered Son, I truly say from the bottom of my heart, I understand. We will NEVER get over the murder of our loved ones but we can and will get through this. God is God and Good all the time!
Now to whocares...We care. If you don't dig this blog, don't sign on to it. It is truly a disrespect to all of us whose loved ones were murdered. Be careful what you say because your name or your loved one's name could be on this very blog. And as much as the pain hurts, it would be better for yoyur name to be here than that of your loved one. Why? Because of your insensitivity, inconsideration and much disrespect, the pain you will feel will be not only that of sadness and hurt but that of guilt. So whocares, you should care.
People put guns to our loved ones and ended their lives. Nobody is putting a gun to your head making you read this blog. Pass my email along to your loved ones because I'm sure with your numbness, they damn sure are going to need to contact Project Cry No More, a non profit for murdered victims' families.

Peace, Vicky, Founder of Project Cry No More

[Nick Gilman]

My thoughts and prayers to the family . Mr. Simmons
was a great Man . I real Man among men. He was
a leader in every sense of the word. We need more
men like Randy. It is a real shame for him to go like
he did . You do NOT replace men like Randy . Everything
should be done to prevent future massacres like
this one. The officer's safety should be considered.
Mr. Rivera was obviously sick, and a deranged killer.
I hope this is the last time a real hero has to go at hands
of a deranged killer.

[Tracy]

This is such a gut wrenching story. My prayers go out to the family. Find comfort in knowing that he knew the Lord, and had his business in order. Remember his dedication to the Lord, law enforcement and his family. In a shame that we live in a world where law enforcement is not respected, and at the end of the day those that responded to protect and serve get shot down. God bless you.

Psalms 121 - Look to the hills from whence comes your help!

Tracy
CCPD

[CW]

I send my condolences to the Simmons Family. God Bless you all. May you find strength through prayer and the wonderful memories you will cherish. My sister-in-law attends the same school as his son at Bishop Montgomery High School. It was so inspiring to hear how influential one man was to his community.

[Don in Altadena - Fellow Cougar]

I have posted on several blogs already but it hasn't taken away the hurt as yet. Randy Simmons was a classmate of mine at WSU. He was a football hero there, and he is truly a hero in every sense of the word. This city is a tough one to reach, but I can sense through all of the articles and messages posted on LA media websites that Randy has truly touched this community. I only saw Randy in person on one occasion since we both graduated from WSU in 1978, and that was New Years Eve before the WSU-Michigan Rose Bowl Game on 1-1-98. It is one of the moments I most cherish from our Rose Bowl experience that year. My thoughts and prayers will always be with his family. Thank you, Randy, for your service to all of us and may God bless you always.

[Larry D. Tate]

Randy and I worked LAPD Vice together back in the 80's. Hearing of his death was hard. He was an outstanding man, a true man of God. The last time I talked with Randy we were at church about 3 years ago. I know heaven is a better place because he's there now. We will miss his smile. For all his friends and family I know Randy would say, if you want to do one thing for me, except Jesus Christ as your Savior so we can hang out when you leave earth.
Love you man I'll see you on the other side.

Larry Tate

[former GCFI member]

Everything that you've read or heard about Officer Simmons/Minister Randy is true...and then some. He was the consummate law enforcement professional and one of the highest ranking African-American LAPD officers; however, he was more than that.

He was a believer in Christ and he used every opportunity to share his faith and love for God with the young people who came to "the bus ministry" or as you've heard it called, "Glory Kids." He gave of himself tirelessly for more than 12 years, every weekend both Saturdays and Sundays. How many people do you know that would work a dangerous, stressful job like SWAT detail for a living and then give their weekends to the challenging task of mentoring young people, considered "at risk" for violence, gangs, drugs and the like. I'm thankful that I had a chance to know and worship with him and his family. I'm thankful that he loved God enough to reach out to young people who needed his love. I'm thankful that Randy knew, "only what you do for Christ will last." The testimony of his life lives on.

God Bless the Simmons Family. You are in my prayers.

[Mitchell Zegarra]

god gless his family .

[unbelieveable]

Poor man. Remember him as a legend and it'll sooth your heart some. Jus lost my uncle 20days ago and that's how I'm looking at him. I try to remember him with joy happiness and a smile. Kinda makes it less painful.

God Bless!

[Jocelyn]

I had watched the whole 2 1/2 TV coverage of Ofc Randal Simmons' funeral service. Eventho' I don't know him or met him, his life service for his family and community really touched me. He was a great role model to all of us especially to those who knew him. I know when I do my charity work it is making a difference in people’s lives like what Ofc Simmons did for others. I want to send my deepest condolences to his family and may you rest in peace Randal Simmons. Wish I had the opportunity to meet you in person.

[Ali]

The one price that can not be repaid, is the heavy price of ones life. As a proud member of Police Family ,we are ready to pay that ultimate price day in and day out. It is however the cost of doing an often thankless job. Selflessness,courage and bravery are needed to do what many can never imagine doing.We are your fathers,sons,daughters,husbands and wives and the cost of losing us is the price society must pay to keep it safe. Rest in peace my brother Randal, 41 David End of Watch

[paul]

We need a city wide holiday to honor this man.. I'm not asking to close down offices and schools.. Just simply a day known as randal simmons day..

[LISA PINEDA]

I just want to say that I never met Randy Simmons but I wish I did. My thoughts and prayers to the family . After seeing his memorial , to me he was a great man.
He's a hero. He has inspired to be a better and to go back to church - Faith Community. Rest in Peace - Randy. Thank you for protecting us and watching over us.
God bless you ,God bless your family and God bless all our law enforcement officers who risk their lives for us.

Lisa Pineda

[Susan in Anaheim]

What a tragedy for the community and what an inspiration
for us all.

A Truly Great Man--One of LA's finest

These are the kinds of people I'd like to hear about in the
media, before they're gone, in lieu of the celebrities
that are chosen for us for all the wrong reasons.

[Jim Murawski]

You will be missed my dear brother, you were the best and I had the privilege of having met you. You were special a brother in blue and a brother in Christ. RIP my dear brother and know you will not be forgotten.

[too_wicked]

I just want to say that I agree 100% with what Susan from Anaheim posted.
These are the real heroes, the real celebrities of the world and we only hear about them when it is too late.

R.I.P. Officer Simmons

[tony]

I commiserate with all involved in this inexplicable crime. However something just do not seem normal in my opinion. I am incredulous because no SWAT has died in nearly 30 years and Simmons was an adept in SWAT unit for 20 years. There is a reason no one has went down in 27 years due to adroit tactics. I’m not privy to what occurred inside that residence in the valley but it has a ‘Training Day’ scent. In closing my questions are:

1. How does two SWAT get shot in the head by an inept thug?
2. Where were their shields?
3. What happen to the aunt that ran out residence?
4. What is the aunt story?
5. What is the Rivera family story?
6. Are there any anonymous officers willing to give candid elaboration on this heinous crime?

[RENDER Youth Ministry]

Although Randy has suffered the Passion of the Cross, we need to remember that he has obtained what we continue to search for... GRACE. Randy now stands in the presence of the great crowd of witnesses, and gets to see our maker face to face. Let's not forget that we all have the honor & privilege of keeping another mighty warrior who is just as a great man as Randy..James Veenstra.