Ministers call for end to street violence after murder of beloved California pastor outside church
Pastors and church leaders from California’s Compton community gathered to demand an end to street violence and for the person who shot and killed Pastor Reginald Moore outside of his church to go to authorities and turn himself in.
Moore, the 65-year-old pastor of the Upper Room Christian Church in Compton, was shot to death as he was walking to his vehicle in between Bible study and church on Oct. 24.
“We’re not going to hide,” Dr. Michael J. Fisher, a pastor at Greater Zion Church Family, said at a press conference that clergy and community members held last week, ABC7 reported. “We’re not going to live in fear and we as ministers, we’re not going to sit back and allow others to take care of our community.”
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The slain pastor’s daughter, Daney Raqueal Moore, said her father was “a good man.”
“And his teaching and preaching will not go in vain. I’ll continue to live through his legacy by ensuring that there will be peace, there will be love, there will be joy,” she was quoted as saying.
The pastor’s wife, Sharon Moore, said, “I can’t even think right now because I'm hurting so bad. But he was a good man and he loved God and I’m telling you, whoever did this, turn yourself in.”
Pastor Michael J. Fisher called for an end to cycles of street violence Compton has witnessed for decades. He added that this time, it’s different. “The act was evil. The act was evil,” NBC Los Angeles quoted him as saying.
LA County Sheriff’s office said 10 investigators have been investigating the case, but no arrest has been made.
Members of the Moore family told the press earlier that the pastor would have been the first to forgive those responsible.
“One thing my daddy did preach and teach on was forgiveness. He always lived by the motto, ‘What would Jesus do?’” the pastor’s daughter told the “Edifi With Billy Hallowell” podcast. “He said, ‘Jesus forgave His enemies and we have to forgive ours.’ … We have to forgive people to be free.”
Daney Moore also spoke about other facets of her father’s personality, describing him as a “character” who always loved to laugh. But beyond those jovial memories, she said he was a man of God on a mission to bring people to faith.
“My daddy was a loving and funny man. He was just a non-confrontational soul who … wanted to make sure that everybody was saved, everybody accepted the Lord,” she said. “Any way he could find to tell you about God, he would.”
When asked if she had a message she wanted to share, Moore delivered an emotional and stirring appeal to everyone listening: “Stop the killing. Stop the violence … be at peace with people and … just get saved if you’re not.”
