A Dallas man was shot early Thursday morning after he approached someone trying to rob his vehicle.
Jesse Simmons, 60, was getting ready for work on August 3 at about 5:30 a.m. when he saw someone breaking into his truck in front of his home on Donegal Drive, according to WFAA.
Surveillance camera footage shows Simmons approaching the suspect, shouting, “Can I help you?”
The suspect proceeded to shoot Simmons, causing damage to his liver, kidney, and spine. Simmons returned fire, and the man fled the scene. Moments later, Dallas police and firefighters arrived and took Simmons to the hospital.
Simmons’ wife, Alison, spoke to the Advocate about the incident.
“If anybody finds themself in the same situation, just let whoever it is take it. It’s not worth it. It’s not,” Alison said. “Let them steal whatever they want. It’s not worth getting shot.”
She hopes that Simmons will not be paralyzed.
He had another surgery scheduled for Wednesday to fuse the vertebrae in his back that were damaged during the shooting, reported Fox 4 KDFW.
The shooting happened in District 9, which is represented by Council Member Paula Blackmon.
Simmons is well known in East Dallas, and one of the bars he frequented posted a supportive message on social media on Saturday:
“For those of you that don’t know our friend, regular, appliance maintenance maestro and all around neighborhood badass Jesse Simmons was shot in his own yard early Thursday morning. He is currently in ICU and awaiting surgery. We are all pulling for him and we know there ain’t no way he lets this get him down for long.
“We are wishing him a quick return to being his ornery self showing up 30-45 minutes before we open each day! We miss you Jesse. We love you and we are holding your seat for you until your triumphant return! Give ‘em hell!”
Simmons has received several awards from the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Police said the suspect may have been wounded in the exchange of gunfire.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 award for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the shooter. However, Simmons’ family is offering an additional $10,000, Fox 4 reported. Anyone with information should call 1 877 373 TIPS (8477).
Motor vehicle thefts are very common in Dallas. As of August 10, there have been 10,955 incidents reported, marking a year-over-year increase of 35.1%, according to a Dallas Police Department (DPD) report.
Many of Dallas’ auto thefts occur in the downtown area. According to an analysis conducted by the Metroplex Civic and Business Association, Dallas police noted 70 instances of motor vehicle theft in the neighborhood in March 2023, while Fort Worth’s downtown area only reported three. Downtown Fort Worth is patrolled by a dedicated police unit and private security guards.
A City of Dallas analysis found that DPD is short about 900 police officers, advising that a city the size of Dallas needs roughly 4,000 police officers.