Milwaukee minister shot several times during attempted carjacking while driving for Uber

A Milwaukee pastor known to the community as "Minister Kevin" was shot several times during an attempted carjacking while believed to be driving for Uber before dawn early Monday morning.

Kevin Simmons, 58, is an assistant pastor at Miracle Temple Apostolic Church, 9235 W. Capitol Drive, according community activist and radio host Tory Lowe of 101.7 The Truth, a Black news-talk radio station.

According to Milwaukee police, the shooting took place at about 2:40 a.m. on Oct. 9 on the 5500 block of West Custer Avenue. Police believe the shooting was related to an attempted robbery and they have not made any arrests.

Simmons typically calls in for Monday Prayer on Lowe's show. Pastor Thomas Melton of Miracle Temple deferred comment to the Simmons' family when contacted by a reporter Tuesday, but did join Lowe in-studio on Monday.

Melton said he spoke with Simmons' wife, who said, "(Simmons) was shot multiple times. And thank God none of those bullets hit any major organs. He came out of surgery and he's in stable condition." Melton said it would be long road to recovery and Simmons remains heavily sedated. "We're thanking God for his life," he said. "His wife has been real strong in this and she definitely needs your prayers."

Melton said it is believed Simmons was close to home when he was shot while driving for Uber.

"He may have been trying to finish up," Melton said. "Maybe he was on his last ride. Which is incredible because everybody knows Uber drivers and Lyft drivers, they just out tryna hustle. For us in ministry, we like (ridesharing) because of the flexibility. When anybody calls in the middle of the night … we stop what we're doing to go help and encourage or whatever the situation is. We're available 24 hours a day. We try to be.

"So to have a way to make money that keeps you flexible enough to be attentive to others' needs is kind of an ideal situation. It's not the best money, but it's enough money."

Lowe said Simmons marched 750 miles to Washington, D.C., alongside him in 2020 to help bring awareness to racial inequity and police brutality. Simmons was an active advocate helping those most affected by inequality and gun violence, according to Lowe.

"To get this news now, it just makes my heart heavy," Lowe said. "He doesn't bother anybody, he's not out here getting in trouble. ... He's trying to support the community. Now after the show we gotta go and see him in the hospital after being the victim of senseless violence. ... This affected me today. He was one of those people that would give the shirt off his back, that would come in a heartbeat if you called him."

Lowe said the shooting reflects a "climate" on Milwaukee's north side. "A lot of people are not feeling safe," he said. "Tomorrow it will be somebody else. It's going to continue if we don't try and make inroads with our community."

Lowe called on elected officials to better explain when and where funding for violence prevention is used.

Anyone with any information about Monday's shooting is asked to contact Milwaukee police at (414) 935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or by using the P3 Tips app.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee minister shot several times while driving for Uber