Corporal Gerald Kevin Simmons, a 23-year-old deputy with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, was shot and killed on November 21, 1988, during an undercover drug operation. Simmons had served with the sheriff’s office for three years and was positioned in a hotel room adjacent to a drug transaction when the deal turned violent. A suspect directed aggression at a confidential informant; Simmons entered the room to protect the informant and was struck by a single bullet. He was taken to a local hospital but died of his wound.

The shooter was identified as Joel D. Tony. He was arrested, charged with first-degree murder, tried, and convicted; the court imposed a life sentence. Simmons died while intervening to shield a fellow participant in the operation.

Did anyone who knew Simmons or was in East Baton Rouge law enforcement at the time have memories or details about that night to share?