In the spring of 2015, a 25-year-old male New York City Police Officer named Brian Raymond Moore was nearing the end of his shift. On the evening of May 2nd, he and his partner, Erik Jansen, were patrolling in an unmarked car in a residential area of Queens. The two plainclothes officers from the 105th Precinct's anti-crime unit observed a man, later identified as Demetrius Blackwell, walking and adjusting an object in his waistband, which aroused their suspicion.
As the officers pulled
up alongside him to inquire what he was carrying, Blackwell, without hesitation, drew a. 38-caliber revolver and fired at least two shots into the police vehicle. Officer Moore was struck in the head before he or his partner had the chance to return fire or exit their car. Officer Jansen was unharmed. Moore was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where he underwent surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma. After fighting for his life for two days, Brian Moore succumbed to his injuries on May 4, 2015. He came from a family of police officers and in his five-year career had made over 150 arrests.
Demetrius Blackwell, who had a lengthy criminal history including a prior conviction for attempted murder, was arrested at his home shortly after the shooting. Initially, he was charged with attempted murder, but after Officer Moore's death, the charges were upgraded. A grand jury indicted Blackwell on a 12-count indictment which included first-degree murder, aggravated assault on a police officer, and criminal possession of a weapon.
During the three-week trial in November 2017, prosecutors presented evidence that included Blackwell's DNA found on the weapon. His defense attorneys argued that he suffered from severe epilepsy and seizures that impaired his brain function and he was not fully responsible for his actions. Prosecutors countered that Blackwell was a remorseless career criminal who was more concerned about the outcome of a boxing match than the officer he had just shot. The jury deliberated for just over a day before finding Demetrius Blackwell guilty on all counts, including the first-degree murder of Officer Brian Moore and the attempted murder of Officer Erik Jansen. On December 19, 2017, Blackwell was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. At the sentencing, the judge called him a 'cold, calculating killer' and stated that he would die in prison. Officer Brian Moore was posthumously promoted to the rank of Detective First-Grade.
