NORFOLK, — A man accused of a deadly shooting at the MacArthur Center in 2022 was found guilty of one count of voluntary manslaughter on Wednesday. Gary Moore was accused of killing 33-year-old Roosevelt McKinney and injuring two bystanders in the MacArthur Center shooting in April 2022. He was convicted of two counts of unlawful wounding last year, but the jury was unable to unanimously decide whether he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter, a charge that was reduced from murder.
At the time, the Norfolk U.S. Attorney’s Office said it planned to retry the manslaughter case. On Wednesday, a jury found him guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the shooting. Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18. There is no doubt who pulled the trigger that day.
The entire incident, as well as two less violent incidents that occurred before it, were captured on surveillance video. During his previous trial, Moore identified himself in court in a video that then showed him running into the mall from a store with his arm extended and a handgun in hand.
At the heart of the case lies what Moore’s attorney said was whether his client’s decision to defend himself in a potentially life-threatening situation was legal. McKinney’s mother broke down in tears after hearing the verdict on Wednesday.
“This has been a long journey and it’s taken me three years to hear a guilty verdict for my child,” Stacey McKinney-Wacker told CNN outside the courthouse. “We’re glad they came to a guilty verdict and we’re glad it’s over,” she added. “We appreciate everyone who prayed for us.”
“I feel so relieved for the families of the victims in this case and for the victims who are still alive,” Norfolk U.S. Attorney Ramin Fatehi said after the verdict. “We have been on this road for several years . This conviction means a lot to them and to me.” “I am also very proud of my trial team,” he added. “These attorneys are excellent lawyers and very persistent.
We have to be patient and we have to persevere because justice will be served, just like it was today,” Fatehi said. Moore’s first sentencing date for each of the previous charges was May 2. His sentencing for the manslaughter charge is scheduled for July 18.