Coroner identifies victim in Audubon Drive shooting

A Saucier man who had his own lawn care business was finishing up a lawn on Audubon Drive in Gulfport on Monday night when he was gunned down.

Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer said Kelvin Simmons, 47, was apparently finishing his work on a home on Audubon and was blowing grass clippings out of the way near the street when he was shot multiple times in the yard.

The homeowners heard the shots and yelling and opened their door to see Simmons lying at their front porch and called 911. His blower was still on his back and was still running.

The call came in about 7:20 p.m. The suspect fled before officers arrived, Gulfport Police said.

Simmons was pronounced dead at the scene, Switzer said, from multiple gunshot wounds. The shots appeared to have come from the same weapon, a semi-automatic handgun. An autopsy will be conducted Wednesday.

“This guy had kidney disease, was on dialysis and had just gotten a transplant,” Switzer said. “He could have gone on disability. Instead, he starts his own lawn care business.”

Simmons was from a large family of 10 children. He had a brother who died before him. He leaves seven siblings.

Gulfport Police is asking that anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the department at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.