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‘Short life well lived’: Gunman pleads guilty to killing White Oak man who aspired to farm in Africa

‘Short life well lived’: Gunman pleads guilty to killing White Oak man who aspired to farm in Africa

Ibrahim Diallo, who studied animal science at Penn State University, was scheduled to return in June 2022 to Senegal, the West African country where he grew up.

He and his father started a farm there, named after his grandmother, and Diallo looked forward to caring for the animals he raised.

Diallo never returned there alive.

A 20-year-old boy was killed by a man in a fit of jealousy on May 20, 2022, as he was returning home from work at a White Oak Wendy’s restaurant.

His body was returned to Senegal.

The shooter, Tyreek Simmons, pleaded guilty Thursday in Allegheny County District Court to third-degree murder and other charges.

He will serve 35 to 70 years in state prison.

Simmons told the court that he would like to die.

“It’s my fault,” Simmons said. “I take responsibility. I don’t even want forgiveness. I did what I did.

“I’m really sorry.”

“I told you not to take them home”

Simmons dated Keyona Wynn for two years. But according to Deputy District Attorney Nicole Onda, they broke up shortly before the shooting and Simmons became jealous of Wynn’s friendship with Diallo.

Wynn, Wendy’s manager, told police that Simmons sent her a series of messages on May 19, 2022, threatening her not to take Diallo home after their shift that night.

“Blocking me won’t help your little guy,” Simmons wrote at 9:05 p.m. – You make him even worse. Tell him to get out.”

He told her he would be “put up” outside the restaurant at 11pm when their shift ended.

“You did it,” Simmons wrote. “I’m tired of these (things). I’ll throw my whole life away.”

According to the prosecutor, Wynn, Diallo and two other employees got into her car just after midnight so she could drive them home.

Simmons followed them.

“Keyona looked over and saw it was her ex…waiting for her like he said he would,” Onda said.

Wynn dropped off one employee. Simmons pulled over near her, but she drove off, Onda said.

She dropped off another employee at Versailles and Diallo got into the front passenger seat.

Simmons stopped his car in front of Wynn, blocking her, got out and walked over to her car.

He fired three shots into the front of her Honda Civic. One hit Diallo in the neck.

He immediately became unresponsive, Onda said.

Wynn backed up and drove off, with Simmons following.

He rammed her car, causing Wynn to crash into a building on Walnut Street.

Simmons went to the passenger door, opened it, kicked Diallo and spat at him, Onda said.

“I told you not to take them home,” he told Wynn before driving off, according to the criminal complaint.

Simmons then called 911 and spoke with the caller for 17 minutes, telling the caller what he had done before driving to the White Oak police station and turning himself in, Onda said.

Radiates goodness

Diallo was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Senegal.

He returned to the United States and attended high school in Beaver County while serving in the ROTC.

Shortly before his death, as his mother Khadijafon Cisse told the court, her son joined the National Guard.

His basic training was to begin when he returned from his trip to Senegal.

According to Cisse, Diallo’s two passions in life were the army and caring for animals.

According to her, his life was “short, well lived.”

“He was always making sacrifices for other people,” Diallo’s mother said.

She described her son as humble and generous, who was an inspiration to his friends.

“No sentence can replace the joy he brought, the love he gave, or the future that was stolen.”

Although Cisse’s comments focused on who her son was, she questioned the defendant’s actions that night.

“I want to know why Tirik had to spit on my son’s body after taking his life so cruelly?”

Diallo’s sister, Anna Diallo, also spoke, telling the court her brother radiated goodness.

“My brother is a light, and I speak of him in the present tense because his light continues to shine.”

Anna Diallo said she hopes Simmons’ bitterness will consume him, but she won’t let it consume her.

“Today I choose to forgive Mr. Simmons because he does not deserve the anger that has poisoned my soul,” she said. “I refuse to give him such pleasure.”

Wynn also testified, telling Judge Jill E. Rangos that she and Diallo worked together a lot.

“I feel sorry for Ibrahim’s parents,” she said. “Ibrahim was a wonderful person. He always made us laugh.

“I wish I could just tell someone, but I’m scared. I didn’t know what to do.”

Paula Reed Ward is a TribLive reporter covering federal and Allegheny County courts. She joined the Trib in 2020 after nearly 17 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. She is the author of Death by Cyanide. It can be reached at the address [email protected].