More than an hour before Brown’s funeral was to begin, a steady stream of people started filing into the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Among them was Will Acklin, a black man from Little Rock, Arkansas.
“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,” said Acklin, who is 63. “I was an honor student. When I heard this, I felt compelled to come here and show my respects.”
Angela Pierre, a machine operator who once lived in Ferguson, where the shooting happened, said she hopes the funeral helps turn a page and eases tensions. Most important, though, she hopes it provides healing for Brown’s family.
“I really wanted to just be here today to pray for the family and pray for peace,” said Pierre, 48, who is black. “When all of this dies down, there still a mother, father and a family who’s lost someone. Sometimes a lot of the unrest takes away from that.”
The church’s sanctuary, which seats about 2,500, was filling quickly. Two poster-sized photos of Brown were near the casket, along with another photo of him as a small child.
Brown’s father, Michael Brown Sr., has asked protesters to take a break Monday and observe a “day of silence” so the family can grieve.
“Tomorrow all I want is peace,” he told hundreds of people Sunday in St. Louis’ largest city park during brief remarks at a festival that promotes peace over violence. “That’s all I ask.”
Early Monday morning, Brown’s request appeared to be honored. At the Ferguson Police Department, where a small but steady group of protesters have stood vigil for two weeks, a handmade sign announced a “break for funeral.” The West Florissant Avenue commercial corridor was also devoid of protesters, whose ranks have typically swelled as days turned to nights.
Brown was unarmed when he was shot Aug. 9 by officer Darren Wilson, who is white. A grand jury is considering evidence in the case, and a federal investigation is also underway.
Police have said a scuffle broke out after Wilson told Brown and a friend to move out of the street and onto a sidewalk. Police said Wilson was pushed into his squad car and physically assaulted. Some witnesses have reported seeing Brown’s arms in the air — an act of surrender. An autopsy found Brown was shot at least six times.
Family members denounced a video released by police, who say it shows Brown snatching some cigars in a convenience store just before he was killed. In the video, the person said to be Brown is seen grabbing a clerk by the shirt and forcefully pushing him into a display rack.
Family and friends say Brown was an aspiring rapper with a gentle, joking manner who dubbed himself “Big Mike.” He was good at fixing things, liked computer games, the rapper Lil Wayne, Drake, the movie “Grown Ups 2,” and the TV show “Family Guy.”
Brown’s great uncle, pastor Charles Ewing, was to deliver the eulogy at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Al Sharpton was also expected to speak.
“We don’t want anything tomorrow to happen that might defile the name of Michael Brown,” Sharpton said as he stood next to Brown’s father on Sunday. “This is not about our rage tomorrow. It’s about the legacy and memory of his son.”
President Barack Obama is sending three White House aides.
Monday also marks the first day back at school for students in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Classes were scheduled to begin Aug. 14 but postponed due to safety concerns.
School personnel have received training in how to deal with students who may be experiencing stress related to the shooting and its aftermath.
“I’m excited,” said Marcus Baker, a junior at McCluer South-Berkeley High School. “We’re ready to move forward. But we’re still going to remember him.”
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Associated Press Writer Alan Scher Zagier in Ferguson contributed to this report.