Police say Akeem Moore kept driving after he was shot, getting his passenger to a fire station before he died.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — After being shot during a confrontation police say resulted from mistaken identity, Minister Akeem Moore continued driving long enough to bring his passenger to a fire station, an act authorities say reflected the service that marked his life.
Moore, 31, died after the Sept. 27 shooting on Ontario Place in West Palm Beach. Police Chief Tony Araujo said Moore was behind the wheel with his girlfriend in the passenger seat when an armed man approached their parked vehicle. Investigators say the man had mistaken Moore’s girlfriend for her sister. Moore was wounded as he tried to drive away, but his passenger escaped injury.
Police said Moore continued driving after realizing he had been shot and reached a nearby fire station, where emergency help was summoned. He was transported to a hospital and later died. Araujo said Moore should be remembered for acting selflessly in the moments after the shooting and putting his passenger’s safety first.
For relatives, ministers and friends, that account has become one part of a broader picture of Moore. He served as minister of worship at Mount Calvary Baptist Church of West Palm Beach and also worked with the church’s evangelistic outreach, technology and social media ministries. The church described him as a committed preacher whose service touched many parts of the congregation.
Family members have remembered Moore as a musician, singer, educator and graphic designer as well as a minister. He graduated from Bethune-Cookman University and was pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at the time of his death, according to relatives. His family said music was a central part of his life from an early age.
Pastor Bryce Graham, who said he formed a close friendship with Moore over the past two years, described him as humble, gentle and encouraging. Graham said Moore served through music, preaching, community outreach and assistance to families dealing with bereavement. He said the loss was being felt beyond a single church congregation.
Mount Calvary Baptist Church said Moore was dedicated to his studies, church service and ministry. The congregation said his family was well known and respected in the community and that Moore would be missed by the church and people beyond it.
The circumstances of Moore’s death became clearer as police and court records were released. Investigators allege that 38-year-old Hugh Earp Milner Jr. approached Moore’s vehicle shortly after midnight while believing the passenger was his former girlfriend. Police said she was actually the former girlfriend’s sister.
Investigators allege Milner banged on the vehicle and later opened fire as Moore attempted to leave. Police arrested Milner in Broward County with assistance from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. He was later transferred to Palm Beach County and faces charges including first-degree murder with a firearm, attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and shooting into an occupied vehicle. The charges remain allegations.
Police have said Moore was not the person Milner was seeking when the confrontation began. As the criminal case moves forward, Moore’s relatives and church community are focusing on his ministry, music and service, while police point to his decision to keep driving after he was wounded as his final act of protection for another person.
Author note: Last updated October 2, 2026.