Phillip Moore

Do you know who killed Phillip Jerome Moore in 1996?
Phillip Moore was a 31-year-old husband and the father of three children living in Knoxville, Tennessee. His life was rooted in his family and community, but his future was stolen in a senseless act of violence that shook the city in the summer of 1996.

On the evening of Saturday, June 22, 1996, Phillip became a victim of the increasing gun violence that concerned Knoxville residents during that period. He was struck and killed by random gunfire in a drive-by shooting. The attack was sudden and indiscriminate, cutting his life short and leaving his family to grapple with a devastating and unexpected loss. At the time, his death was one of several high-profile incidents of random gunfire in the city, highlighting a problem that community members felt affected all of Knoxville, not just the inner city.

The investigation into Phillip’s murder was launched by the Knoxville Police Department. However, the random nature of the crime presented significant challenges for law enforcement. With no clear motive and likely no prior connection between the shooters and the victim, investigators were left with few leads to pursue. In the days following his death, Phillip Moore was laid to rest in New Gray Cemetery in Knoxville, but the search for those responsible for his killing had only just begun.

In the face of her profound grief, Phillip’s mother, known in her community as Bishop Moore, resolved to create a positive legacy from her son’s tragic death. She founded a program called “Stop The Violence,” born from her dream of preventing other families from experiencing her pain. Her vision was to intervene in the lives of young people before they became involved with guns and violence. This grassroots effort became her mission, a way to honor Phillip’s memory by protecting the city’s youth.

Over time, the "Stop The Violence" initiative grew into a significant community partnership. Phillip's mother collaborated with the Knoxville Police Department and the Tennessee Board of Parole to establish the Phillip Moore Outreach Boot Camp, a free, volunteer-run program for at-risk children. Described as a preventative camp targeting inner-city kids, the program is military-driven and focuses on instilling discipline and respect. “Our goals are to try to get the kids back to respect,” said Derek Tate, a 20-year volunteer, in 2016. “It’s all for the kids. They are at the age when they need some guidance that they really don’t get at home.”

Decades have passed since Phillip Moore was killed, and his case remains unsolved. No arrests have ever been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The investigation is now handled by the Knoxville Police Department's Cold Case Unit, where detectives are tasked with re-examining evidence in the hope that new technologies or a fresh look might uncover a path to justice.

While the criminal case remains open, Phillip Moore’s legacy is not defined by the violence that ended his life, but by the enduring positive impact created in his name. The outreach programs founded in his memory have touched the lives of countless young people in Knoxville, offering them guidance and a constructive alternative to the street violence that claimed him. As of July 2016, the work his mother started continued to serve the community, a testament to a family's determination to bring light from unimaginable darkness while they still await answers and justice for Phillip.