The Tragic Incident
Wayde Sims, a junior forward for the LSU basketball team, was shot and killed during a fight involving several men near the campus of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 28, 2018. He was 20 years old.
According to CBS News, the shooting happened around 12:25 a.m. at a restaurant across from Southern’s A.W. Mumford Stadium, where homecoming festivities were taking place that weekend. Sims was taken to a hospital and died from his wounds, Baton Rouge police said in a news release.
Police later released a video of a fight among several men in a street which they believed led to the shooting of Sims. They asked the public to help them identify a man seen wearing red pants with a white stripe, who was suspected of being the shooter.
The Arrest and the Motive
On September 29, 2018, police announced that they had arrested a 20-year-old man named Dyteon Simpson in connection with Sims’ death. Simpson confessed to shooting Sims after he “intervened” in a fight between Simpson and one of Sims’ friends, police chief Murphy J. Paul told the media, according to Reuters.
Simpson was charged with second-degree murder and his bond was set at $350,000. He pleaded not guilty and his trial was scheduled for March 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to The Advocate, prosecutors said that Simpson shot Sims because he was angry that Sims had punched him in the face during the fight. They also said that Simpson had a history of violence and had been previously arrested for battery, theft, and illegal possession of a firearm.
The Impact and the Legacy
Sims’ death shocked and saddened the LSU community, especially his teammates and coaches. Sims was the son of Wayne Sims, a former LSU player who played under coach Dale Brown from 1987 to 1991. Wayde Sims had followed his father’s footsteps and joined the Tigers in 2016, after leading his high school team to three state championships.
Sims was described by his coach Will Wade as the “team jokester” who was always smiling and willing to help his teammates. He was also praised for his offseason work and his versatility on the court. He averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in his sophomore season and was expected to play a bigger role in his junior year.
Sims’ death also sparked a conversation about gun violence and its impact on young lives. Many people, including LSU officials, politicians, and celebrities, expressed their condolences and called for action to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
Sims’ memory was honored by his team and his fans throughout the 2018-19 season. The LSU players wore patches with Sims’ initials and number 44 on their jerseys. They also dedicated their SEC regular-season title and their Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament to him. The LSU fans chanted his name and held up signs with his picture at home games. The LSU athletic department also created a scholarship fund in his name to support future LSU basketball players.
Sims’ life and death were also featured in a documentary titled “44” that was released in 2019. The film, directed by LSU alumnus and filmmaker Kenan Holley, chronicled Sims’ journey from a young boy who dreamed of playing for LSU to a beloved teammate and friend who was taken away too soon.
Sims’ legacy lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and fans, who remember him as a talented, kind, and joyful person who loved basketball and life.
