Brian Moore: Thousands of officers to gather at funeral of slain NYPD officer

Officer Moore was gunned down last week in Queens

Photo released by the New York City Police Department shows officer Brian Moore, 25 (AP)

As many as 30,000 people – mostly police officers from New York and around the country – are expected to gather for the funeral of slain NYPD officer Brian Moore, who was gunned down on Saturday while sitting in an unmarked police vehicle.

Mr Moore’s funeral will be held Friday at St. James Roman Catholic Church on Long Island, New York, according to CNN. Flags across New York have flown at half-mast this week in honour of the fallen officer.

Mr Moore was sitting with his partner, Erik Jansen, in the undercover vehicle on Saturday when 35-year-old Demetrius Blackwell allegedly walked by, adjusting something in the waistband of his pants.

The New York Post reports that Mr Moore asked Mr Blackwell, “Do you have something in your waist?”

Mr Blackwell allegedly responded, “Yeah, I got something” before allegedly firing a number of shots at the two officers, striking Mr Moore. The suspect has been arrested and charged with the shooting. Mr Jansen was not injured.

Officer Moore had been on the NYPD for five years and comes from a family of police officers, according to PIX 11. His father and uncle are retired NYPD sergeants, and his cousin is also an NYPD officer.

New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said, “In his very brief career – less than five years – he had already proved himself to be an exceptional young officer. In that career, he had made over 159 arrests protecting and serving the citizens of the city.”

Mr Moore had received two exceptional police-service medals.