Moore pictured on his Facebook page.
Officer Brian Moore of the NYPD has died a few days after he was shot in the face by Demetrius Blackwell, according to authorities. Moore was 25 years old. On May 2, Moore and his partner, Erik Jansen, rolled up on Blackwell after the noticed him adjusting something in his wristband. The slain cop was driving the car, he asked Blackwell if there was something in the waistband. The suspect replied “Yeah, I got something.” Investigators say that’s when Blackwell opened fire into the unmarked car, hitting Moore once. Officer Jansen was unharmed. Blackwell was arrested 90 minutes later at his home.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Demetrius Blackwell Will Now Face Murder Charges
The New York Daily News reports that Blackwell will likely now face murder charges after the shooting in the Queens Village neighborhood of Queens. He passed away on May 4, after the New York Post reported that his vital signs had “plummeted.”
2. Moore Suffered ‘Severe Brain Injuries’
Moore died at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. PIX 11 reports that since the attack, Moore has been in a coma. Court documents described his condition as “severe injuries to his skull and brain.”
3. The Arrest of Blackwell May Have Been Illegal
The case against Blackwell, 35, who has a lengthy criminal record, will now likely go before a grand jury with the suspect facing life in prison if convicted. On May 3, Blackwell appeared in court to answer to charges of attempted murder. He didn’t enter a plea but his lawyer, David Bart, entered not guilty on his client’s behalf and the suspect was held without bail. Queens Assistant District Attorney Peter McCormack called the attack “nothing more, nothing less than a coldblooded attempt at an assassination of New York’s Finest.” During police interviews, court documents say that Blackwell told officers that on the street he was known as Hell Raiser. The murder weapon has not been recovered in the case with New York 1 reporting that Citizens Outraged at Police Being Shot is offering $5,000 for the gun’s retrieval. The New York Post says that due Blackwell’s arrest at home being without a warrant, it may have been illegal.
4. Moore Took the NYPD Exam When He Was 17
(Getty)
Moore’s father, Raymond, was also an NYPD officer. Officer Brian Moore took the entrance exam for the NYPD when he was just 17, reports the New York Post. He then had to wait until he was 21 before he could be recruited.
5. He’s the Fifth NYPD Officer to Have Been Shot in 5 Months
Ismaaiyl Brinsley posted this to Instagram just two hours before killing the two cops.
Brian Moore is the fifth NYPD officer to be shot on the job in the past five months. Moore had been on the job since December 2014, when Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were gunned down by Ismaaiyl Brinsley. In an Instagram post, just before that shooting, Brinsley said he was going to “put wings on pigs.” After the attack, Brinsley committed suicide.