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Details emerge after woman shot in foot in Braddock area

More details have emerged in the August 27 shooting in the Braddock area that resulted left a woman injured and a man behind bars.

At around 8:30 p.m., a 38-year-old woman was shot in the foot in an alley in the 700 block of N. Fayette Street. Police say the woman was an innocent bystander.

Tykeece Simms, 21, an Alexandria resident, was charged with malicious wounding, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and unlawful discharge of a firearm. Police arrested Simms less than a mile away on the front porch of his home.

“Mr. Sims initially admitted to being at the scene of the incident but denied involvement in the shooting,” police said in a search warrant affidavit. “He stated that he ran from the scene becaus he heard gunshots. After further questioning, Mr. Simms admitted to being the shooter.”

Simms told police that he’d gotten into an argument with a man at a nearby deli, and that the man threatened his life, according to the search warrant affidavit.

“Mr. Simms state that he was in fear for his life, and felt it was necessary to shoot the gun to protect himself,” police said in the search warrant affidavit. “It should be noted that Mr. Simms smelled like alcohol and admitted to being intoxicated.”

Simms, who was not arrested with a gun, also allegedly told police that he was a convicted felon and felt it necessary to carry one for safety. No gun was recovered in the search of his home, but police found magazines and boxes with hollow-point 9mm ammunition, 9 mm handgun magazines and a soft case for a handgun.

Simms goes to court on October 5.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.