Garden of hope being planted in honor of Darius Simmons



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- On the one-year anniversary of the tragic murder of Darius Simmons, member of All Peoples Church will be planting a garden of hope, honoring Simmons in the hope of a peaceful future.

Members will meet in the gardens of All People’s Church (Clarke and 2nd) at 5 p.m. Friday, May 31. Members ask that people bring their own plants to add to the garden of hope. They are particularly looking for tomatoes, peppers, collard and mustard greens or flowers.

John Spooner is accused of confronting the teen as Simmons was taking out the trash. Officials have said Spooner’s home was burglarized and items were taken, including some shotguns. Spooner reportedly believed “his next-door neighbor” was to blame.

According to court documents, when Simmons’ mother told Spooner they didn’t have his stuff and weren’t responsible for burglarizing his home, she says the man pulled out a gun and shot her son.  Investigators say the 75-year-old man admitted to shooting the boy, and was arrested immediately.