'Short life well lived': Shooter pleads guilty to killing White Oak man who longed to farm in Africa

Ibrahim Diallo, who studied animal science at Penn State University, was supposed to return in June 2022 to Senegal, the West African nation where he had grown up.

He and his father had started a farm there, named after his grandmother, and Diallo looked forward to caring for the animals he was raising.

Diallo never made it back there alive.

The 20-year-old was killed on May 20, 2022, on his way home from work at a White Oak Wendy’s by a man in a jealous rage.

His body was returned to Senegal.

On Thursday, the shooter, Tyrique Simmons, pleaded guilty in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court to third-degree murder and other charges.

He will serve 35 to 70 years in state prison.

Simmons told the court that he wished he was the one who died.

“It’s my fault,” Simmons said. “I take responsibility. I don’t even want forgiveness. I did what I did.

“I’m truly sorry for it.”

‘I told you not to drive them home’

Simmons had dated Keyona Wynn for two years. But they broke up shortly before the shooting, according to Deputy District Attorney Nichole Onda, and Simmons became jealous of Wynn’s friendship with Diallo.

Wynn, a manager at the Wendy’s, told police that Simmons sent her a series of messages on May 19, 2022, threatening her to not drive Diallo home after their shift that night.

“Blocking me not gonna help your little boyfriend,” Simmons wrote at 9:05 p.m. “You making it worse on him. Tell him to come out.”

He told her he would be “posted up” outside the restaurant at 11 p.m. when their shift ended.

“You did this,” Simmons wrote. “I’m tired of this (stuff.) I’ll throw my whole life away.”

Wynn, Diallo and two other employees got into her car just after midnight, the prosecutor said, so she could drive them home.

Simmons followed them.

“Keyona looked back and saw that it was her ex … waiting for her just like he said he was going to,” Onda said.

Wynn dropped off one employee. Simmons pulled up next to her, but she drove off, Onda said.

She dropped off another employee in Versailles, and Diallo moved into the front passenger seat.

Simmons pulled his car in front Wynn’s, blocking her in, got out and approached her car.

He fired three shots into the front of her Honda Civic. One struck Diallo in the neck.

He immediately became unresponsive, Onda said.

Wynn put the car in reverse and drove away, with Simmons following.

He rammed her car, causing Wynn to crash into a building on Walnut Street.

Simmons walked up to the passenger door, opened it, kicked Diallo and spit on him, Onda said.

“‘I told you not to drive them home,” he told Wynn before driving off, according to a criminal complaint.

Simmons called 911 then and spoke to the calltaker for 17 minutes recounting what he’d done before driving to the White Oak police station and turning himself in, Onda said.

Radiating goodness

Diallo was born in Washington, D.C., but was raised in Senegal.

He returned to the United States and attended high school in Beaver County, serving in the ROTC.

Shortly before his death, his mother, Khadijahfon Cisse, told the court, her son enlisted in the Army National Guard.

His basic training was to commence when he returned from his trip to Senegal.

Diallo’s two passions in life, Cisse said, were the Army and caring for animals.

His, she said, was a “short life well lived.”

“He always made sacrifices for other people,” Diallo’s mom said.

She described her son as humble and generous and an inspiration to his friends.

“No sentence can replace the joy he brought, the love he gave or the future that was stolen.”

Although Cisse’s comments centered on who her son was, she did question the defendant’s actions that night.

“I want to know why Tyrique had to spit on my son’s body after taking his life so cruelly?”

Diallo’s sister, Anna Diallo, also spoke, telling the court her brother radiated goodness.

“My brother is light, and I speak of him in the present tense because his light continues to shine.”

Anna Diallo said she hopes Simmons’ bitterness consumes him, but she won’t allow it to consume her.

“Today, I choose to forgive Mr. Simmons because he is unworthy of the anger that has poisoned my soul,” she said. “I refuse to give him that satisfaction.”

Wynn also testified, telling Judge Jill E. Rangos that she and Diallo worked together a lot.

“I’m sorry to Ibrahim’s parents,” she said. “Ibrahim was a great person. He always made us laugh.

“I wish I just told someone, but I was scared. I didn’t know what to do.”