‘This was an assassination’: NYPD officer dies after being shot in head

New York officer Brian Moore dies after being shot by a convicted felon.

A New York City police officer was taken off life support two days after being shot in the head. Brian Moore was just 25 years old.

Moore was shot during a confrontation with Demetrius Blackwell. Moore was in his police car and stopped Blackwell while he was walking in the street. Moore asked Blackwell,”What are you carrying?” after seeing him pull on his waistband.

Blackwell shot at Moore, striking him in the head. Moore’s partner was hit as well. He died from extensive skull and brain injuries.

“Our city is mourning. Our hearts are heavy. We lost one of New York City’s finest,” said New York mayor Bill de Blasio.

“It’s clear that this was an assassination,” said de Blasio. “These officers were shot execution-style, a particularly despicable act which goes to the heart of our society and our democracy.”

“We lost one of the best amongst us, a young man who was called to do good for others,” said the mayor. “This was his dream because he had seen such extraordinary examples in his own family.”

Moore came from a family of police officers. His father, cousin and uncle were all part of the New York Police Department.

“In his very brief career, he already proved himself to be an exceptional young officer,” said New York Police Department commissioner, William J. Bratton.

“In that career, he had made over 150 arrests protecting and serving the citizens of this city,” added Bratton. “He had already received two exceptional police service medals, two meritorious police service medals. We don’t give them out easily. He worked for them. He earned them.”

“Policing is never easy,” said Bratton. “At this time in America, it’s even more difficult.”

After the Eric Garner case of police brutality, there have been dozens of fatal altercations between police officers and civilians in the United States. There have been 40 murders of police officers in 2014.