15-Year-Old, Brian Moody, Shot and Killed by Dayton Police Officers

A recent shooting involving Dayton Police officers is under investigation after officers shot and killed 16-year-old, Brian Moody. The officers under investigation were patrolling an are that had received reports of block parties taking place around a vacant property. Brian Moody was reportedly standing in the middle of the street when he was approached by the officers. Moody allegedly took out a Glock 17 when the officers approached, however the body-cam footage does not clearly show that he had a weapon. The body-cam footage, however, does clearly record Brian running away from the officers while one of them shouts, “You’re gonna get shot, you’re gonna get shot”, before shooting him. The body-cam footage immediately cuts to 53 seconds later, showing Brian lying in the grass with a gun conveniently next to his body. Brian Moody was pronounced dead at the hospital.

As of July 5th, The NAACP released a statement demanding a deeper, more thorough investigation into the murder of Brian Moody, and for justice to be administered to the officers involved, both of whom have 18 combined commendations, as well as having a written reprimand each. The statement from the Dayton division of the NAACP stressed the need for gun-violence advocacy, building strong foundations within the home, and creating a mutual trust with law enforcement. This trust, however, must be created mutually, as police officers around the country continue to give Black and Brown communities little reason to place their trust in them. As long as running away from the police equates to a death sentence for non-white Americans, trust cannot grow.

Brian’s Aunt, Alexis Collier, set up a GoFundMe page for people to help their family with covering Brian’s funeral and burial costs. If you are unable to donate, continue to put pressure on the DPD by sharing Brian’s story and saying his name.