Reverend Al Sharpton delivered remarks at the funeral for Sacramento police shooting victim, Stephon Clark on Thursday.
While people might have wanted the Civil Rights leader to appear for fanfare and grandiosity, Reverend Al spent his speaking time comforting the family, specifically the brother of the victim, Stevante Clark. All would admit it was painful to watch, Stevante’s heartbreak over and over during the service. Clark has been the key figure in not only seeking justice for his brother but working to use Stephon’s name to doing something greater. The two hour long funeral was broadcast on local news outlets in Sacramento.
During the funeral many wanted to silence the mourning young man, but Sharpton would not have it. In fact, at points it seemed as though the only person that could at least relate to the mourning soldier was Rev. Al.
“Stevante and this family is why we’re here,” Sharpton said at the top of his remarks. “We didn’t come here for you uppity, bourgeois, proper folk. We came for Stevante… we came because this boy should be alive today.”
As Sharpton continued with Stevante by his side, he addressed White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders‘ statement during the press briefing that Clark’s death was a “local matter.”
“No this is not a local matter. They’ve been killing young black men all ov er the country and we are here to say that we are going to stand with Stephon Clark and the leaders of this family.”
Stephon Clark was killed by police on March 18 in his Grandmother’s backyard. Police believed Clark to be a suspect in a 911 call that reported a man breaking car windows. Upon finding Stephon, the officers fired a reported 20 shots at the unarmed father of two who cops mistook his cellphone for a weapon. The police department has since released the helicopter and body cam footage of the incident.
Despite Reverend Sharpton’s words and pleas for politicians to step up, the White House has made a clear statement that there will not be a federal investigation into the shooting of Stephon Clark. The local investigation is ongoing and no charges have yet been brought on the officers involved who are currently on paid leave from the police department.
Since his brother’s passing, a grieving Stevante Clark has been seen on CNN Tonight with Don Lemon in a now viral interview and was also recorded raiding a City Hall meeting and chanting his brother’s name along with a few allies. Aside from protesting, Stevante is dedicating his time to raising funds and rallying support to build a resource center and a library in his brother’s name.
We weren’t the only one’s watching, Sean “Diddy” Combs called into the funeral to further comfort the young brother. Perhaps, the Bad Boy knows a little something about losing a “brother” to senseless violence.
