Another murder with no leads is the status so far in the fatal shooting of Pastor Reggie Moore, an associate minister at God of Christ Church in Compton.
Moore was killed by a gunshot wound to his chest at about 11:50 a.m. on Sunday, October 24. His family said the 67-year-old minister had just finished a Bible Study class and was going to his car when the attack occurred in the 1100 block of Compton Boulevard near Dwight Avenue.
With no suspects and no known motive, his daughter, Danae Moore, said through tears, “I don’t understand it. I still don’t and I won’t be able to.” His cousin, Christine Peggese, was equally distraught, insisting, “I just know I love him and I’m gonna miss him.”
Compton Mayor Emma Sharif extended condolences to the family while also stating her disappointment that slayings such as Moore’s continue to plague the city. “It’s always a tragedy when a life is lost as a result of violence. I extend my sympathies to the family and strongly urge the Sheriff’s Department to use every resource possible to solve this murder.”
The Rev. Dr. Michael J. Fisher expressed frustration about the increasing number of shootings in Compton combined with the rapid decline of civility and appreciation for members of the older generation.
“Pastor Reggie Moore’s murder, I believe, is an indication of the need for our community to come together to begin to promote the need for respect – not only for life but for our elders, senior statesmen and for those who care about the community,” said Fisher, the senior pastor of Greater Zion Church Family, which was the first African American church in Compton.
“We cannot sit idly by and allow this to become the new norm. Pastor Moore’s life meant more than just to his children, but also to the community that he served. It’s important that we all rally together in this moment and in this time to combat this evil and make sure our community does not live in a place of fear,” he stressed.
Inviting citizens to join the fight against gun violence, Fisher added that local ministers will assemble at Compton City Hall on Sunday, November 14, at 1 p.m. “That’s what we plan to do – come together as clergy to pray and ask for a cease-fire within the city of Compton, California,” he said.
Family and community members held a vigil for Moore last week and remembered him as “a man of God, a grandfather, and an all-around good guy,” said Peggese. Danae Moore added, “He wanted to make sure we were safe … coming to church. He was doing what a dad is supposed to do.”
Evidence and eyewitnesses are sorely lacking in Moore’s death, according to L.A. Sheriff’s Department investigators. In a report on NBCLA News, Lt. Chuck Calderaro said that there’s very little to go on at this point, no suspect or vehicle description. However, LASD believes Moore was targeted, even though he was not robbed.
Anyone with information about the homicide should call LASD Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
