Rev. Al Sharpton called for protests this week following the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, 26, on April 4 by a Michigan police officer.
“It’s time for you to stand up, stand up in Michigan, stand up in the US, to stand up all over the world,” Sharpton said Friday. “It’s time to fight again. It’s time to march again. It’s time to organize again. It’s time to rally again. It’s time to walk together, children. Don’t you get weary. No justice, no peace.”
Sharpton spoke during Lyoya’s funeral in Grand Rapids, Michigan, stating, “We were created in the image of God.”
“When you see us, you are seeing what God put together. And what God put together, you don’t have the right to violate,” he added.
Sharpton, a Black rights activist, spoke to the hundreds who attended the funeral held at Renaissance Church of God in Christ.
Michigan State Police are investigating the incident that occurred earlier this month when Lyoya was pulled over for a traffic stop before being shot amid a brief struggle over the officer’s Taser.
The officer, a White man whose name has not yet been released, pulled the 26-year-old over because his car’s tags didn’t belong to the vehicle.
Lyoya, who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, proceeded to get out of the car before the officer approached him. The officer then asked for his license and told him to get back in the car. Lyoya refused and then started to run away.
The officer followed him in a brief foot chase before grabbing him. The two then struggled for the officer’s Taser.
After about two minutes, the officer pulled his handgun and shot Lyoya once in the head, killing him.
Sharpton has demanded that the officer’s name be released.
* story by Fox News
