NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina — At times silent, at times full of laughter and applause, hundreds of people filled the modest church in Summerville, South Carolina for the funeral of Walter Scott on Saturday.
Scott, a black man who lived in nearby North Charleston, was shot and killed by a white police officer named Michael Slager on April 4. Scott was running from Slager when the officer shot him multiple times in the back. The killing was captured on video that has since spread around the globe, sparking protests and community gatherings to address police mistreatment of black residents of North Charleston. Slager has since been arrested and charged with murder.
"There is no doubt this was motivated by an act of overt racism," Pastor George Hamilton said on stage at the funeral, which was held at WORD Ministries Christian Center, where the Scott family often attended church. "This was hate because Walter was an African American."
Here's the line outside. #WalterScott pic.twitter.com/28FqUXkLY5— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 11, 2015
Scott, 51, loved to dance, sing, and compete in just about everything. He, his fiancé and friends would play dominoes or backgammon or spades just about every weekend, sometimes through the night, until daybreak. He loved musicians from Marvin Gaye to R. Kelly, his friends told Mashable, and he'd compete to see who could compile the widest selection of songs.
Scott was also a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys, so much so that the blue Cowboys star was placed at the bottom of an obituary handed out at the funeral. A handmade version of that same star rested next to his casket toward the front of the church during the service.
Outside the funeral. #WalterScott pic.twitter.com/UPwqxjImJQ— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 11, 2015
Scott, who had served in the National Guard, had just asked his fiancé to marry him a week before he was killed. He leaves behind a mother, father, two brothers and four children (three sons and a daughter).
People began filing into the church around 11 a.m. ET. They quickly filled the red chairs set out in front of the stage. Dozens sat in the foyer of the church, watching a small television screen playing the service. Others gathered in hallways, pacing and listening to the audio.
People slowly filing in. #WalterScott https://t.co/ZcGpyshSrL— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 11, 2015
"I think the whole community should become tighter as a whole, especially in times like these," Sandra Burnett, who lives in North Charleston but did not know Scott, told Mashable. "I think it makes [the family] feel good that the people care about them."
Norris Washington, who said he was a friend of Scott's, remembered him as down to earth and always smiling.
"Instead of him home chillin' with his kids, he's getting buried," Washington told Mashable.
Everyone who was at the church in Summerville had a chance to view Scott's body. People slowly filtered out of the church afterward and talked in small groups about Scott and North Charleston, and tried to figure out why Slager killed him. Scott's casket was eventually brought out and loaded into a car, after which a procession of vehicles drove off to his burial site.
#WalterScott pic.twitter.com/BIDKTnieRE— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 11, 2015
Then the video journalists packed up their cameras and people walked out to their cars, got in, and went back to their lives.
"Go ahead Walter, take your rest," Hamilton said on stage. "Brother, we love you."