Andre Simmons Jr.

Andre' G. Simmons Jr., a 21-year-old man from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, was remembered by his mother as a "gentle giant." A father to a young son, Andre also left behind loving siblings and many friends who mourned his sudden and violent death. He was a young Black / African American man whose life was cut short in the winter of 2025.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 25, 2025, chaos erupted on the north side of Eau Claire. Just after 2 a.m., police received reports of a shooting and responded to a home in the 2700 block of Western Avenue, near La Verne Street. Officers arrived to find a highly chaotic scene. In the driveway of the residence, they located Andre Simmons Jr., who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. According to his mother, he had been shot four times. Paramedics and police officers performed life-saving measures, but Andre succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Eau Claire Police Department’s Investigations Bureau immediately began piecing together what happened. Investigators soon identified 18-year-old Du'Marion Stogner of Eau Claire as the primary suspect. Police confirmed that Stogner and Andre knew each other, though a specific motive was not immediately released. According to the criminal complaint that followed, Stogner and Andre had been involved in a fight outside the home leading up to the shooting. Stogner later admitted to authorities that he had fired a gun at Andre, who he described as his friend, stating he never meant to hurt him. He claimed that during an altercation, Andre had a gun that fell to the ground, which Stogner then picked up and fired two or three times.

Du'Marion Stogner was arrested and initially charged with first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon under the influence of an intoxicant, and bail jumping. He had several other open cases against him at the time. Another man, Dvontae Faanes, was also charged in connection with the case for aiding a felon after investigators determined he hid the gun used in the shooting. In March 2025, both Stogner and Faanes pleaded not guilty to their respective charges. During the homicide investigation, police uncovered a video of Stogner beating a homeless man in downtown Eau Claire, which led to additional charges being filed against him.

In October 2025, Stogner accepted a plea deal. He pleaded no contest to an amended charge of second-degree intentional homicide, as well as to charges of substantial battery and receiving a stolen firearm in his other cases. On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, a judge sentenced the now 19-year-old Stogner to nine years in prison followed by 16 years of extended supervision. He was given credit for 410 days already served and ordered to pay $2,508 in restitution. The month prior, in February 2026, Dvontae Faanes pleaded no contest to harboring or aiding a felon and operating a vehicle without the owner's consent. He was sentenced to one year in prison and three years of extended supervision.

In the wake of her son's death, Andre's mother, Shannon Simmons, organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of his funeral and a celebration of life. On the fundraising page, she shared her grief and her memory of her son as a "gentle giant," a sentiment that resonated with those who knew him. The community rallied to support the family after the tragedy, remembering a young life taken too soon. As of March 2026, the legal proceedings in the homicide of Andre Simmons Jr. have concluded, with both men involved in his death having been sentenced for their roles.