The family mourns Washburn footballer Dwane Simmons

When Corey Ballentine called Dwane Simmons's father early Sunday morning to tell him about the shooting, the father prayed his son's injuries were minor.

Navarro Simmons was scared while driving from Kansas City to Topeka. He hoped that his son would have been shot in the leg and that he would find him in surgery at the hospital. He was waiting to see him alive.

"I never thought …" Simmons' mother, Chaquilla Everett, started saying hours later.

"Yes, not Dwane," said Navarro Simmons.

Simmons, a 23-year-old Washburn University football player from Lee's Summit, was killed in a shootout at an off-campus party in Topeka. The shooting also injured his roommate and close friend, Ballentine, a third-and-latest choice of the 23-year-old New York Giants.

The murder shook Simmons' family trying to figure out what had happened.

"It was a senseless murder," Navarro Simmons said as more than two dozen family members and friends gathered Sunday afternoon in Simmons' mother's home in Kansas City. "It broke a lot of people."

The gunshots erupted around 12:45 pm Sunday in the 1400 block of 13th Street Southwest, a few blocks from the university campus. Simmons died of his wounds. Ballentine was hospitalized and the university announced that he should recover completely.

Family members learned from detectives that Simmons and Ballentine were about to leave the party, organized by the college's women's football team, along with other soccer players when a vehicle arrived and that the people inside asked them a question. When the car turned around, someone inside started shooting, Navarro Simmons said.

Police have not disclosed any suspicious information since Sunday night.

Todd Ashley, 24, was at home when his sister called him on Sunday morning to announce the death of his close cousin.

"It broke me," Ashely said outside of the family reunion. "I'm still incredulous."

He described Simmons, with whom he grew up, as a "ray of light." He wished others could live his life as his outgoing cousin.

Family members described Simmons as an energetic, contagious, young academic who dreamed of playing in the NFL or "anywhere." Simmons studied mass media in Washburn hoping to cover sports if professional football did not succeed.

Simmons was a defender for the Washburn Ichabods from 2015, while he started nine games as a rookie.

He missed the 2016 season and played two games in 2017 before suffering an end-of-season injury. Last season, he started six games and participated in all 11. Simmons returned from two knee injuries. His father called him resilient for that.

Simmons liked to make people laugh and was the life of any party, something he had had from his father, said his family. The charismatic athlete also liked to dance, which his mother had given him. Everett recounted how his oldest son, six years old, danced with loved ones on his sister's 21st birthday, scuffing hardwood floors.

Navarro Simmons knows that the most difficult part of the mourning process will begin once everyone is home, when he is alone in a quiet room.

The murder of his son is not the first tragedy of the family: in 2000, the brother of Navarro Simmons, Michael Simmons, aged 19, was shot dead during an attempted car theft in the South Kansas City. His killer is serving a life sentence.

Michael Simmons took Dwane to see a movie shortly before his assassination. Although he was young, Dwane Simmons was close to his uncle, whose name earned him the tattoo on one of his arms, said members of his family.

Navarro Simmons now knows what his mother felt when his brother was killed. She had wanted Michael Simmons to have kids to look up so they could see him in them.

While he was aggressive on the field, Simmons would not have hurt a fly, said his father-in-law, Corey Everett. Family members wanted people to know that their relative was not part of a gang and had no problems.

"The only crew he belonged to was Washburn and his family," Navarro Simmons said.

Navarro Simmons helped his son move apartments on Friday. In a Facebook video on Saturday, Elder Simmons congratulated Ballentine, a back defender, for being selected by the New York Giants as the 180th overall pick.

"Today's day," said Ballentine in the video.

"Today's day," Navarro Simmons replied, his smile shining on his face.

Washburn football head coach Craig Schurig said Simmons' death was "heartbreaking". In a statement, he described the shooting as a terrible way to end a day that should have been spent celebrating.

"Dwane is one of the most energetic and appreciated players I have ever coached at Washburn," Schurig said, noting that his love for football and his teammates were "really inspiring".

Before the shooting, while he was helping his son move, Navarro Simmons shared a moment of intimacy with his son. It was a happy time. Both prayed and Navarro Simmons reminded Dwane how proud he was of him. From here shortly, he will move on to the next chapter of his life.

Now, instead of his son's video calls, Navarro Simmons's phone rang repeatedly on Sunday afternoon with parents and reporters, including one from the New York Times, hoping to talk to him.

Simmons' sister Damesha Simmons, 22, put her head on her father's shoulder. Tears ran down his face.

"You hurt a lot of people," Navarro Simmons said to the one who pulled the trigger. "Turn in."

Police asked anyone with information about the shootings to call the Topeka Criminal Investigations Office at 785-368-9400 or the Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. . Anonymous tips can be done online at p3tips.com/128.