BALTIMORE -- The lasting images from Baltimore on Monday are likely to be those of people clashing with police in the streets, of riots and looting, and of fires burning into the night.
But the day of Freddie Gray's funeral began on a somber yet hopeful note.
A little after 9 a.m. on Monday, people began packing the pews of New Shiloh Baptist Church for the funeral of Gray, a black Baltimore resident who died in police custody on April 19.
Mourners listened to speakers talk about the life that Gray might have led. They cried over his body, laid in a white casket near the altar.
And they sang "Amazing Grace."
In the church, a painting of Jesus on the cross depicted more than one kind of suffering.
At the bottom of the canvas, police officers could be seen holding the leashes of dogs attacking two black men.
Painting inside the church where #FreddieGray's funeral is being held. pic.twitter.com/ltsz4Dh0mi— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
Churchgoers talked about their own experiences with the police, those other times when tragedy struck.
Family members of those killed by police came down to #FreddieGray's funeral. Talking about their own losses. pic.twitter.com/e9mC179YXt— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
Still, the mood was hopeful as people exited the church.
Crowd exiting the funeral. #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/TbLdSMaZZI— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
The first indication that Baltimore could erupt was barely an indication at all.
Police reported that some "juveniles" were hanging out by the nearby Mondawmin Mall, and authorities warned of possible traffic delays.
Police chopper circling Mondawmin Mall, no sign of anything strange. Police say "juveniles in the area." Pretty vague pic.twitter.com/OkrruRuXZp— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
But when I got to the mall, it was clear that this might be bigger than a few Baltimore residents getting home late from work.
Officers in riot gear practically occupied Mondawmin Mall. Then they lined up on one side of nearby Reisterstown Road, and that's when the rocks started flying.
Protests had rolled through Baltimore over the preceding days.
But there had been nothing quite like this.
More arrests, shoving between police and people. Told this is now unlawful assembly. #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/drTWD5xxvH— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
The people hurling chunks of concrete at police looked mostly young. Some were definitely teenagers and hardly anyone looked a day over 30.
Groups would suddenly appear in the streets, chuck what they had in their fists toward the police, then sprint away.
Officers would wait with their shields up, forming lines and occasionally charging. They arrested many and knocked many others to the ground.
State police putting gas masks on. #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/7Aw3h1Mxsx— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
Some arrests seemed random. Officers dragged one black man off his front lawn while a woman inside the house shouted desperately from a second-floor window. She said he'd done nothing. And maybe he hadn't.
But randomness often seemed to be the chief quality of what took place in Baltimore on Monday.
Police would stand in the same line for 20 minutes, then one officer would walk up and shoot a rubber bullet into a crowd of people a block away.
At one point, an officer did just that and other officers cheered.
Police just let out a cheer when an officer fired a rubber bullet. #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/AUBEvKZ58B— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
Speaking to black people who live in Baltimore over the past few days about their relationship with the police, everyone seemed to be saying the same thing: That if you run from the police, they beat you up. Most say they've had bad encounters with police. And no one seems surprised this is happening. The city, many told me, was bound to erupt.
Heard "get your tear gas ready." #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/Ns0VceyhNP— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
One man struggling against police was lifted off the ground and carried away by officers. Standing nearby, I was suddenly surrounded by residents screaming at the police to unhand him, to at least let him walk on his own. Officers formed a circle and shoved people back.
"To be honest, I only think it's getting worse," Tim Robinson, #Baltimore resident, talking about police and citizen relationship.— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
Around an hour later, I was watching people carry liquor bottles, soda cans and other goods out of a store when a crowd sprinted by me, shouting. I don't know why.
A kind of turbulence would sometimes grip the crowd and suddenly there were no rules.
I was foolish enough to look at my phone as people were looting a tavern. I only looked up in time to see the man who ripped the phone from my hands. I had planned to talk to more people but now I had to get a new phone.
Phone stolen. Fine but got outta there. So if you see any weird. tweets...— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 27, 2015
As I ran back to my car, two residents who looked to be in their late teens called out to me for help. I asked what was wrong. They didn't really answer and when I looked around, I realized we were the only people in this part of the street. When I ran, they followed, and one smacked the side of my car with a metal bar as I drove away. The other hurled a stick or a stone.
Randomness of aggression is maybe what's most dangerous. Police suddenly charge, knock people down. Crowds suddenly hurl rocks. #Baltimore— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 28, 2015
Many people seem to think it's only going to get worse in the coming days. They echo the sentiments of the speakers at Gray's funeral, who asked what young black residents of Baltimore are supposed to do in a place where there aren't a lot of opportunities and the police doesn't seem to be helping.
As one woman said to me: "These young people, they ain't going to let it go."
Am writing, but hope that everyone in #Baltimore stays safe as they can. Though, of course, that's not always possible.— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 28, 2015