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Police Officer

Alva Ray Simmons

New Orleans Police Department — New Orleans, LA

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch July 10, 2004

Age 53

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

The Vigil Panel 152 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 127

Incident

Police Officer Alva Simmons succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained 19 years earlier while responding to a burglary in progress. He had slipped into a coma shortly after the incident and never regained consciousness.

Officer Simmons had responded to the call at a home at 1820 Short Street in the Carrollton area and was in a crouched position while he approached the home. A subject inside opened fire with a .357 caliber revolver. One of the rounds struck Officer Simmons in the chin, damaging his vocal cord and severing an artery.

He had initially been released from the hospital after one month, but within a few weeks, he began suffering dizziness and slipped into a coma. Doctors were unable to bring him out of the coma. He was returned to his home and given round-the-clock treatment but never regained consciousness.

Officer Simmons was a United States Air Force Vietnam War veteran. At the time of the shooting, Officer Simmons had served with the New Orleans Police Department for 11 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-LA-921653AA
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Alva. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Alva is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Simmons gave the New Orleans Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Orleans community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New Orleans Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA

Platform Identity nopd.orleans.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 10, 2004

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .357 caliber

Military Service

Alva Ray Simmons served in the U.S. Air Force (1971â1974) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Alva Ray Simmons is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In LA, 364 of 595 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.2% of this state's fallen. That is 61.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New Orleans Police Department, 86 of 128 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 67.2% of this agency's fallen.

New Orleans Police Department

of 128 officers

67.2% Felonious

LA — Statewide

364

of 595 officers

61.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious