Michael Brown Funeral 2014: Thousands Flock to St. Louis for Slain Teen's Funeral; Al Sharpton, Brown's Parents Call for Peace
After two weeks of protests over his death, a large turnout of mourners are expected Monday for the funeral of Michael Brown, who earlier this month was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, The Washington Post reported.
The White House is said to be sending three officials to the service, which is being held at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Al Sharpton is expected to speak at the funeral.
"I think that what we can say is that we must turn this moment into a movement to really deal with the underlying issues of police accountability and what is and is not allowable by police, and what citizens ought to be moving toward," Sharpton said on Sunday.
In honor of his son's funeral, Michael Brown Sr. has asked that the protests in Ferguson stop. Those protests have been ongoing since the Aug. 9 killing of the younger Brown and have ranged from peaceful to confrontational.
"I would like for no protesting going on," Brown Sr. said at a gathering in Ferguson park on Sunday. "We just want a moment of silence that whole day, just out of respect for our son."
Ferguson has been in the national spotlight and at the heart of the debate about policing and police militarization.
Brown was unarmed at the time he was shot. His autopsy showed that he was hit multiple times, but the critical point of the issue has been debated. Police have said there was apparently a struggle over the officer's gun, while a friend of Brown's told officials that Wilson was the instigator.
At the park on Sunday, Sharpton also called for protests to stop Monday, according to Fox News.
"We don't want anything tomorrow to happen that might defile the name of Michael Brown," Sharpton said. "This is not about our rage tomorrow. It's about the legacy and memory of his son."
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