In the early morning hours of May 7, 2017, a tragic and senseless act of violence cut short the life of 23-year-old Branden Deon Moss in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The incident unfolded in a parking lot across the street from the 3000 Bar after it had closed for the night. Moss, a male remembered for his willingness to help others, had spent his final evening with his fiancée at the bar.
The series of events leading to the fatal shooting began when Moss intervened in an altercation where a
man was being assaulted by a group of four men. After the initial fight dispersed, Moss was engaged in a conversation with one of the individuals from the scuffle. It was during this moment that another man, who had not been involved in the earlier dispute, approached from behind and fired a gun multiple times, striking Moss. Despite being wounded, he managed to run about 75 feet before he collapsed.
In the wake of the shooting, the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit launched an investigation. By reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses, authorities were able to identify a suspect. They arrested 26-year-old Markis Russell in connection with the death of Branden Moss. Russell faced multiple charges, including murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and being a person forbidden to possess a pistol.
Branden Moss was a graduate of Hillcrest High School and had attended both the University of West Alabama and Shelton State Community College before enrolling at the University of Alabama. He was a beloved son, brother, and a devoted fiancé to Desiree' Parker, with whom he shared a young daughter, Delilah Grace Moss. His death was also a deep personal loss for his close friend, Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who considered Moss to be like a brother.
