Family members and former colleagues of a police officer fatally shot earlier this year in the line of duty in Queens Village offered one more tribute to him on Friday morning.
The intersection of 222nd Street and 92nd Road, adjacent to the 105th Precinct’s Queens Village stationhouse, was renamed Det. Brian Moore Way, honoring the life of the 25-year-old officer who was gunned down while on patrol in the neighborhood on May 2. He died three days later of his injuries.
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton joined a contingent of high-ranking NYPD officials and members of the Moore family for the renaming ceremony on Friday. Also in attendance was Councilman I. Daneek Miller, who sponsored legislation for the street’s renaming, and Patrolman’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch.
Today we fulfilled a promise to #NeverForget our NYPD hero, Detective Brian Moore. https://t.co/mXj28wQsEg
— Commissioner Bratton (@CommissBratton) December 11, 2015
Moore made 159 arrests during his NYPD career. He was on patrol with his partner, P.O. Erik Jansen, inside an unmarked car in the area of 104th Road near 212th Street at 6:15 p.m. on May 2 when they noticed a man, later identified as Demetrius Blackwell, adjusting his waistband.
When the officers pulled up alongside Blackwell to question him, according to the charges, Blackwell allegedly pulled a black handgun out of his waistband and fired at the officers.
Moore sustained two gunshot wounds to his head and died three days later while undergoing treatment at Jamaica Hospital; his partner was not injured. Bratton posthumously promoted Moore to detective first grade at his funeral service days later.
Following a manhunt, police took Blackwell into custody shortly after the shooting; he was later indicted on first-degree murder charges.
In a statement, Mayor Bill de Blasio — unable to attend the ceremony due to a hernia operation — said that Moore “exemplified the best of our police force: a brave and selfless young man who gave his life while working to protect all of ours.”
“Our city is safer and stronger because of police officers like Brian Moore, and we will forever be indebted to his family,” de Blasio said. “I’m proud to join with Commissioner Bratton today in announcing that one of the many city streets NYPD protects each day is now named for this brave detective – a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice Brian Moore gave to this city.”
