By Naeisha Rose
Demetrius Blackwell, 37, the Queens Village man responsible for the shooting death of NYPD Officer Brian Moore and the attempted murder of Officer Erik Jansen, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Wednesday,
Blackwell was convicted by a jury of murder and attempted murder in State Supreme Court on Nov. 9, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
“While today’s sentencing cannot heal the prolonged pain endured by Officer Brian Moore’s family, friends and colleagues for their needless loss or erase the emotional wounds suffered by Officer Erik Jansen and his family, I hope, however, that it will bring some degree of closure and comfort to those individuals whose lives were forever changed on that horrific day,” Brown said.
Blackwell will serve the maximum sentence allowed under law“The defendant will serve the maximum sentence allowed under the law – life in prison without the possibility of parole,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. “ We as a society will never forget his heinous and cowardly act.”
On May 2, 2015, Moore and Jansen, officers with the 105th Precinct’s Anti-Crime unit, were patrolling near 212-11 104th Rd. in Queens Village around 6:15 p.m. in an unmarked car when both noticed Blackwell adjusting something on his waistband on 222nd St., according to the criminal complaint.
Shortly afterwards, Moore, 25 called out to the suspect, “Police, you got something?”
Blackwell, armed with an illegal five-shot revolver, fired three times into the car and hit Moore in the head, said prosecutors. Jansen rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where doctors put his partner in a medically induced coma only to die two days later.
Moore, the son of a retired sergeant in the police force, was posthumously promoted to detective after his death, according to the NYPD.
Blackwell was taken into custody 90 minutes later and pleaded not guilty to the charge in June 2015, said police.
Six months later former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) honored the fallen officer with an unveiling of a street sign co-named Detective 1st Grade Brian Moore Way for 222nd Street in Queens Village on Dec. 11, 2015.
“We must honor him, not just through a street renaming along with his colors, but we must work with our police — not hamper their efforts to make us safe,” Miller said. “We must do all we can to collaborate to make this city as safe and as great as it can be.”
In attendance at the event was Moore’s father Sergeant Raymond Moore.
“I’m very proud of Brian today, but I have always been proud of my son and I always will be,” said the elder Moore. “Brian was an outstanding officer. We all know he made 160 arrests in his career and was awarded department medals. He excelled in every unit that he worked. His potential was unlimited.”
A year after Moore’s death a crowd of NYPD officers gathered at the intersection of 212th Street and 104th Rd., the scene of his murder, to honor him with Bratton.
Bratton said the purpose of the memorial was “fulfilling the promise we always make to the families of our fallen heroes” to never forget.
Moore’s mother, Irene Moore, implored those in attendance to hold on to memories of her son’s friendship and humor as bagpipes played in the background and a wreath was positioned at the site of the shooting.
“Remember a memory of him that made us happy,” she said. “He lit up the room every time he walked into the room.”
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
