Funeral held for police shooting victim
Protests continue in Sacramento over death
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A standing-room-only crowd packed into a church Thursday to celebrate the life of a 22-year-old black man who was shot to death by Sacramento police, prompting angry protests and a resolve to force changes in police departments around the country.
The musical and scriptural celebration of Stephon Clark was interrupted by his emotional brother Stevante, who hugged and kissed the casket, led the crowd in chants of his brother’s name and interrupted speakers.
The Rev. Al Sharpton hugged and consoled him and told the crowd not to judge how families grieve.
“We will never let you forget the name of Stephon Clark until we get justice,” Sharpton thundered. “This is about justice. This is about standing with people with courage.”
City officials braced for more protests as mourners gathered at Bayside of South Sacramento church.
Some mourners at Wednesday’s wake predicted increased unrest beyond the unruly but mostly nonviolent protests that have disrupted traffic and two professional basketball games since the March 18 shooting.
Two Sacramento police officers who were responding to a report of someone breaking car windows fatally shot Clark. Video of the nighttime incident released by police shows a man later identified as Clark running into the backyard where police fired 20 rounds at him after screaming “gun, gun, gun.” It turned out Clark was holding a cellphone.
The family’s raw grief was on display when Stevante Clark had to be physically restrained while confronting members of the media gathered outside the wake. The outburst came a day after he disrupted a Sacramento City Council meeting and screamed his brother’s name at Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
Stevante Clark later apologized for his behavior. At the funeral, he addressed Steinberg.
“We’re going to forgive the mayor, amen,” Clark said. “Everybody say they love the mayor.”