Mourners filed into an historic Atlanta church on Monday to pay out their respects at a public viewing for Rayshard Brooks, the black male gunned down from at the rear of by police amid previously simmering unrest.

Brooks, who was 27, lay in a white accommodate and gold tie in a casket inside Ebenezer Baptist Church, exactly where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. after preached.

Several who came out to honor Brooks did not know him in daily life, but yet felt a kinship to him.

“It was psychological due to the fact that could be me,” mentioned Brandon Hooks, who came to spend respects with his 11-calendar year-previous son, Braden. “I want him [Braden] to comprehend the importance of what we’re going by way of.”

Atlanta cops were named out on June 12 just after an intoxicated Brooks was identified asleep driving the wheel at a Wendy’s generate-via.

Brooks and the two cops, who ended up white, had a peaceful extended dialogue, but the predicament took a turn when Brooks unsuccessful a industry sobriety take a look at and was informed he couldn’t get again driving the wheel.

He resisted being handcuffed, scuffled with the officers and took off running with a Taser belonging to one of the cops.

Officer Garrett Rolfe, also 27, opened fire at the fleeing Brooks, fatally hitting him twice in the again.

Rolfe has due to the fact been fired by the department and billed with murder.

The tragic face came just weeks just after a black man, George Floyd, was killed when a white Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck, sparking nationwide unrest and calls for police reform.

“I didn’t know Rayshard Brooks but, just like George Floyd, we know him now,” mentioned Manerva Harris, 42, at Brooks’ viewing.

“Not even a week right after they had buried Mr. Floyd, now here we go exactly where we have a further black family heading as a result of the very same point,” she explained. “It’s challenging and it is just nuts that we’re however living like this now.”

Brooks’ funeral is established for Tuesday.

With Wires