Berks district attorney: police justified in shooting Reading woman

• Anthony Orozco
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  Anthony Orozco was the Latino communities reporter for WITF.

(Reading) — Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said police who shot and critically injured a 29-year-old Black woman last week were justified.

On Sept. 13, Reading Police responded to a reported conflict between Roxanne Moore and another person. After arriving on the scene, police fired 16 shots, striking Moore several times.

“In the officers body cam footage [the officer] was heard commanding the suspect multiple times to drop the gun before firing, before he fired at the suspect,” Adams said at the press conference.

In stills from surveillance cameras, Moore can be seen pointing a handgun in what Adams said was the direction of police arriving on scene. After the three police officers shot at her, they found the handgun’s safety was locked and Moore was incapable of firing the weapon, according to the DA.

Reading Police and Adams have not released the names of the officers involved in the incident.

Moore remains under arrest as she recovers from her injuries in Reading Hospital. Adams expects county detectives to charge her for crimes including aggravated assault and robbery once she is medically cleared from the hospital.

Malik Nock, Moore’s brother, said he wants to see the police bodycam footage, which Adams said will not be released to the public while the case is under investigation.

Nock also wants to better his sister’s mental health, which he believes may have played a role in the initial conflict.

“I just want everyone to see the video footage and know what happened to my sister, truthfully.” Nock said. “And get her help. That’s it.”

Adams said Moore’s probation officers attempted to have her involuntarily committed, but did divulge more details.

The county prosecutor gave the following account of the incident and Moore’s alleged crimes:

It began after Moore got into an argument with other people in an apartment on the 800 block of Franklin Street. She set a small fire on the stove and then forcefully took a handgun from one person.

Moore later “pistol whipped” a second person, who she also pointed the handgun at. That man fled.

A third person called Berks County dispatchers and reported “shots fired,” but that was not true, according to Adams. The caller later told investigators Moore had threatened to shoot and kill them.

When police arrived, Moore pointed the gun toward the officers. She continued to run down the block, tripped and fell.

An officer drew his weapon as he exited his vehicle and approached Moore. She then  allegedly pointed the gun at the officer.

The officer repeatedly told Moore to drop the weapon and then shot at her. The officer again told Moore to drop the gun and then shot at her once more.

Once police saw Moore was injured, they called for an ambulance and began to “administer lifesaving procedures.” Moore was conscious when EMS arrived.

 

Anthony Orozco is a fellow with Report for America, a national service program that places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered topics and communities.