A man who was shot in the back while celebrating Atlanta Black Pride may have been targeted for his sexual orientation, according to police.
Ira Moorer, 29, was shot after an argument inside the 1050 Social Club spilled out onto Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway at about 5 a.m. on Sept. 3, according to an Atlanta police incident report. Atlanta Black Pride ended on Sept. 2, but some events went into the early morning hours of Sept. 3.
A GoFundMe page claimed that Moorer (photo) was celebrating Atlanta Black Pride and that the perpetrator targeted him because of his sexual orientation.
“The assailant who shot him brutally attacked him, beating and kicking him and calling him homophobic slurs before shooting him in the back as he tried to get up and walk away,” the GoFundMe page said.
Four 9-millimeter shell casings were found at the scene, police said. Police identified Moorer as Ira Johnson in the incident report.
“Additionally, our investigators are actively working this shooting and we have brought in our Homeland Security team and LGBT Liaisons to look into the bias crime allegations,” Investigator James White told Project Q Atlanta.
Police took statements from three witnesses to the crime, including one that recorded the incident on video, according to the incident report. Police have not publicly released video or images from the shooting.
Witnesses described the perpetrator as a black male wearing a black hat, black shirt and black jeans, according to the incident report. The possible getaway vehicle was a black Honda Accord with license plate RNC8704.
Moorer was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital after the shooting, according to the AJC. Moorer returned home from the hospital on Sept. 13, according to public Facebook posts.
The GoFundMe page is raising money for Moorer’s medical bills.
“Not only is Ira in physical pain but also in mental pain,” the page said. “He has frequent nightmares 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 campaign has raised about $1,000 of a $20,000 goal as of Monday afternoon.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477 or online at StopCrimeATL, according to the AJC. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment.
Officials with In the Life Atlanta, which organizes Atlanta Black Pride, said the event was not part of its formal programming for the weekend.
