Scores of people gather at vigil to mourn, remember.
In a dimly lit corner of a Wal-Mart parking lot, dozens of mourners of Orlando Police Master Sgt. Debra Clayton gathered late Tuesday not far from where she was slain — praising her spirit of love and unity and calling for a grieving community to uphold her legacy.
“Once again, Orlando has been impacted by terror and evil,” said Bishop Kelvin Cobaris, pastor of The Impact Church of Orlando. “And this time, it happened to one who protects us. But the one thing this city has proven is that we are resilient. We always come back.”
The crowd — maybe 100 strong — was filled with young and old, black and white and brown, with men in suits and teens in sweat pants. Politicians, pastors, family members, friends and strangers came to honor Clayton and Orange County Deputy Norman Lewis, who died in a crash while responding to the incident.
Miles Mulrain, 27, one of the organizers of the vigil, said he hoped the event would help shine a light on the goodness of Pine Hills, the community where the shooting occurred — a place that too often gets attention for bloodshed.
“I grew up in Parramore,” he said. “I want to show people that no matter where you come from, you can still be for peace and justice. You don’t have to go along with the crowd. But there are more of us than you think, and we’re coming together to push forward.”
Ringed by law-enforcement officers, the crowd also expressed gratitude for their work and called on residents to speak up if they have information on suspected killer Markeith Loyd, a felon who is now the target of a massive manhunt.
“The word on the street is that he didn’t want to go back to prison,” said community organizer Victor Scott, who often helps the poor and homeless. “But someone knows where he is, and they need to speak up.”
But the most impassioned pleas of the evening came from Clayton’s sister, son, in-laws and friends.
One of them was Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill, who fought back tears to talk about the woman whose wedding Hill attended just a year ago.
“Debra gave it all to see transformation in the streets ... where she was a servant-leader,” Hill said. “All she wanted to do was make a difference. Debra came from humble beginnings, and the only thing she wanted was for little brown boys and girls to see themselves in her.”
Hill talked about the nonprofit Clayton was working on — Bridge the Gap — to bring together law enforcement and a community that is sometimes wary of police. She praised the officer’s efforts last summer in working with Hill in finding jobs for some 200 minority youth.
And she said those who came to pay tribute to Clayton showed just the sort of spirit and unity that would have made her proud.
Then her voice rose. “The work continues,” Hill said, pointing to the crowd. “You are the work. We are the work.” ksantich@orlando sentinel.com, @katesantich, 407-420-5503