North Charleston Incident Highlights Gun Violence Concerns

North Charleston Incident Highlights Gun Violence Concerns

North Charleston – Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds marked the day on August 13, 2024, but the tranquility was briefly shattered for S.C. Representative J.A. Moore due to a serious incident involving a firearm. Moore, a Democrat elected to the legislature in 2022, found himself facing the threat of gun violence in a moment that could have turned tragic.

Rep. Moore had just arrived near Park Circle in North Charleston to pick up his daughter from her first day of kindergarten and was looking for a parking spot to visit a nearby restaurant. As he waited to pull into a space, a man in a black truck cut him off and took the spot. An exchange of words followed between the two men from their respective vehicles, and then things took a frightening turn. According to Moore, the man in the truck pointed a gun at him.

“It was scary,” Moore said on Wednesday. “It was a situation where the gentleman, for whatever reason, felt he needed to pull a gun to settle a verbal dispute. I don’t know if there’s a legislative remedy to that. But I do think there is a societal remedy that needs to be had.”

Moore drove away from the scene but soon noticed the man walking on the street. He took a photo of the man and his truck’s license plate and handed it over to the police. Officers found the man at a bar later but did not make an arrest due to a lack of corroborating evidence or witnesses. The man admitted to the argument but denied brandishing a firearm.

However, Moore indicated that he would press charges. He reflected that this incident underlines the need for a fresh national conversation about gun violence.

A Life-Altering Moment

This event is likely to be a life-changing moment for Moore, akin to the day in spring 2019 when he discovered he was going to be a father to a girl. At that time, Moore, like many state legislators, was being courted by presidential candidates for his political support in the critical South Carolina Democratic presidential primary for 2020. He had connected with several of them, including then-U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California.

Following a gender reveal party for his soon-to-arrive daughter, Moore called Harris to inform her of his impending fatherhood and his decision to support her presidential candidacy. “It was the fact that she was a woman of color who had a viable chance of being president, and I wanted my daughter to see that image – to live in a country where that was possible,” Moore recalled this week.

Moore became a national surrogate for Harris, playing a key role in her campaign, including a notable appearance in the spin room after the South Carolina primary debate in 2020. They have maintained contact, and Moore has attended various Washington functions, even appearing at the recent announcement naming Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Harris’s running mate.

Relentless Advocacy Against Gun Violence

Moore has been vocal about his concerns regarding gun violence in the country. In 2015, his sister was among the victims of a mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, a tragedy that continues to influence his advocacy. Reflecting on the recent incident, he remarked, “He felt that it was OK to threaten my life over what was a verbal dispute. I never threatened the guy’s life.”

Moore feels strongly about reducing gun violence and is optimistic about the momentum behind Harris’s candidacy. “So many South Carolinians, both elected and people who believe in freedom and justice and that liberation takes work, are wholeheartedly supporting the vice president to be the next president. It’s encouraging to me,” he said.

As the campaign season continues, Moore plans to advance his efforts to curb gun violence and support his friend and political ally in the presidential race.