The funeral of Michael Brown, the 18-year-old shot and killed during an alleged altercation with a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, drew thousands of observers on Monday morning, including many high profile personalities such as Rev. Al Sharpton.
"All I want is peace while my son is being laid to rest," Michael Brown Sr., the young man's father, said at a rally on Sunday,
according to The New York Times. The rally marked the fourth day of peaceful protests after weeks of unrest and local riots in the wake of the August 9 shooting.
KSDK-TV reported that Michael Brown's parents and close family members viewed his body on Sunday at Austin A. Layne Mortuary ahead of the public funeral on Monday.
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As lines of funeral-goers formed around the block at the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, movie director Spike Lee and radio host Tom Joyner were seen filing into the event. Three White House aides were also in attendance.
Like many, Will Acklin, a 63-year-old black man from Little Rock, Arkansas, came to the event to support Brown's family and bring attention to a tragedy many have seen as emblematic of unwarranted police brutality and poor race relations.
"It's important in that as a child I was pushed by police, mistreated by police, cursed by police, and I was a good kid," Acklin
told Fox News. "I was an honor student. When I heard this, I felt compelled to come here and show my respects."
Many observers documented the occasion, tagging posts with the #MikeBrownFuneral hashtag, which trended on Twitter. Mike Brown's father was captured entering the funeral with a necktie featuring a picture of his son.
Sharpton spoke at the funeral service following music played by a large band, echoing sentiments from Sunday's rally about aggressive policing and racial profiling.
Brown's black and gold coffin was closed during the funeral, and a red St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap was placed atop it.
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