Court records say the accused gunman approached Akeem Moore’s car believing Moore’s girlfriend was another woman he had been seeking.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A West Palm Beach minister was fatally shot after an accused gunman apparently mistook the woman sitting beside him for the suspect’s former girlfriend, according to police and court records released after the killing.
Minister Akeem Moore, 31, was shot shortly after midnight Sept. 27 while sitting in a vehicle with his girlfriend in the 500 block of Ontario Place. Police said 38-year-old Hugh Earp Milner Jr. approached the car believing the passenger was his former girlfriend. She was actually the woman’s sister. Milner now faces charges including first-degree murder with a firearm, attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and shooting into an occupied vehicle.
According to court papers, investigators believe Milner had been looking for his former girlfriend and had sent her angry text messages before the shooting. Minutes later, police said, he encountered Moore and Moore’s girlfriend outside a home on Ontario Place. Moore’s girlfriend recognized Milner as her sister’s former boyfriend and realized he appeared to have mistaken her for her sister.
The records say Milner began banging on the passenger-side window. Moore and his girlfriend tried to make clear that Milner had the wrong person, investigators said. Police allege Milner then drew a handgun and pointed it toward the vehicle and its occupants. As Moore tried to get away, investigators said Milner fired at the car.
Police said Moore was struck by the gunfire but continued driving. His girlfriend was not reported injured. Moore made it to a West Palm Beach fire station, where emergency help was called. He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died.
West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo said Moore’s actions after he was wounded helped protect the passenger. “Akeem should be remembered as a hero,” Araujo said during a briefing on the case. He said Moore acted selflessly and courageously by continuing to drive his passenger to safety.
The shooting initially drew officers to Ontario Place after police received a ShotSpotter alert shortly after midnight. Investigators identified Milner as a suspect and later located him in Broward County with help from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. He was initially taken to the Broward County Jail before being transferred to Palm Beach County.
Milner appeared in Palm Beach County court Thursday after his transfer. He is being held without bond in connection with the murder charge. The charges are accusations, and the case has not been adjudicated.
Moore served as minister of worship at Mount Calvary Baptist Church of West Palm Beach. The church said he was also involved in its evangelistic outreach, technology and social media ministries. Friends, relatives and fellow church members have described him as a preacher and musician whose work extended into the broader community.
The latest court filings have given investigators’ clearest account yet of why police believe Moore and his girlfriend became targets. Authorities have characterized the encounter as a case of mistaken identity, with Moore caught in a confrontation police say was directed at someone else. The investigation and criminal case remain active.
Author note: Last updated October 2, 2026.