The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cops look into possible hate-motivated shooting during Atlanta Black Pride
GoFundMe page says attacker used homophobic slurs.
A man who was shot during Atlanta Black Pride Weekend is recovering at Grady Memorial Hospital as authorities try to determine if the crime was motivated by hate.
Ira Moores, 27, was shot in the back on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway after an argu- ment inside the 1050 Social Club about 5 a.m. Sept. 3, according to an Atlanta police incident report obtained by AJC.com. A GoFundMe page for Moores alleges the attacker beat, kicked and called him homophobic slurs before the shooting. Four 9 mm shell casings were found at the scene, police said.
Atlanta police public affairs director Carlos Campos said the department has “brought in our Homeland Security team and LGBT liaisons to look into the bias crime alle- gations.”
Georgia is one of five states that do not have a hate crime statute creating tougher penalties for people who com- mit crimes based on sexual orientation, race, religion or disability.
Atlanta Black Pride Week- end began Aug. 28 and lasted through Sept. 2, but some events went into the early hours of Sept. 3, according to its website.
The shooting shut down Hollowell Parkway for about two hours while investi- gators were at the scene. Several people refused to come out of the club, and they were detained before being released, police said. In their report, police iden- tified Moores as Ira Johnson.
Atlanta police Capt. William Ricker previously said a fight between two groups led to the shooting, and “security was involved as well.”
The security guard was not at the scene when police arrived, Ricker said.
The GoFundMe page alleges that a security guard at the club was the person who attacked Moores. Police have not made any arrests in the case, and it’s unclear if a security guard is a person of interest in the investi- gation. Witnesses described the suspect as a man who was wearing a black hat, black shirt and black jeans, according to the incident report. The suspect might have driven away in a black Honda Accord with Georgia tag RNC8704.
Moores was rushed to Grady, where he was sedated but stable hours after the shooting, police said. The GoFundMe page said Moores underwent six hours of surgery and remains in the hospital. Posts on his pub- lic Facebook page indicate he’s able to walk as his reha- bilitation continues.
“Not only is Ira in physical pain but also in mental pain,” his GoFundMe page says. “He has frequent night- mares of the incident and he is emotionally broken from the attack as he cannot grasp why someone would try to kill him simply because of who he loves.”
The page, which is rais- ing money to help his fam- ily cover medical bills, has received more than $1,000 in donations.
No other details about the investigation have been released. Anyone with infor- mation is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 404-5778477 or online at StopCrimeATL.com. Tips can be submitted anonymously, and information leading to an arrest and indictment in this investigation can earn tipsters up to $2,000.