BEAUMONT, Texas — A 37-year-old father, Anthony Wilson, was shot and killed last week, in what many believe was a senseless crime. Wilson was gunned down on his tenth wedding anniversary.
News of his death started circulating on social media and the tributes started pouring in. Former NBA all-star, Kendrick Perkins took to Twitter to express his thoughts.
"We have to do something about the violence in Beaumont, Texas," Perkins said. Lost a good family man for no damn reason to gun violence."
Wilson graduated from West Brook High School in Beaumont.
"Everybody has the same story you never get to see the ones you would like to see, " Wilson's former classmate James Matthews said.
Both attended West Brook together. Although they never talked much growing up, their paths crossed later in life. Their love for landscaping brought the two together.
"Landscaping might be his passion, but his family was definitely was something that we talked about a lot," Matthew said.
Those conversations are what Matthew is left holding onto.
"Any man that builds his family up, in almost every conversation you have with him, is a man," Matthew said.
Not only was Wilson a family man, but he also owned his own business. Nearly six months ago, he started doing landscaping work at Common Cent Credit Union in Beaumont.
"He was passionately driven, and that is something that I feel is rare, to see somebody love what they do and talk about it so much and talk about it with so much love and passion," Tish Cornell, marketing specialist of Common Cent Credit Union, said.
Cornell said she and Wilson formed a bond during time he spent at the credit union.
"I didn't look at it as him being a business person, I looked at it as a friend. you know a positive light," Cornell said.
Wilson's death is part of an ongoing investigation by Beaumont Police. They are asking anyone with information are ask to contact Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers.
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