Hundreds of mourners gathered on Saturday morning at a South Carolina chapel to remember Walter Scott, an African-American father of four who was shot in the back last week while running from a white patrolman.
Scott's death, caught on a bystander's video, has reignited a public outcry over police treatment of African-Americans. Michael Slager, the North Charleston officer who fired eight times at the man's back as he fled from a traffic stop, has been charged with murder.
Under cloudy skies, an early crowd stood under the portico of W.O.R.D. Ministries Christian Center in Summerville behind police tape that separated them from television cameras and media tents. The service, scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), will be open to the public.
"God has got a reason for what has happened," he told Reuters. "Hopefully this will heal the world."
Sharpton was always welcome, though the family had not scheduled him as a speaker, he said.
Scott, 50, was driving a black Mercedes-Benz on April 4 when he was pulled over by Slager, 33, for a broken tail light. Video from the dashboard camera in Slager's police cruiser recorded a respectful exchange between the two men before the officer returned to his patrol car.
A second video by a bystander showed the men in a brief tussle before Scott ran off again, Slager fired his gun and Scott slumped into the grass.
He was nonetheless discharged under honorable conditions because he had a good record of service, the Coast Guard said.
4 Injured After Shooting In US' Seattle: Cops US Secret Service Acting Director "Ashamed" About Trump Shooting Incident New Footage Shows US Officers Standing Over Body Of Trump Shooter Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool "Took Advantage Of His Addiction": 5 Charged Over Matthew Perry's Death US Delegation Led By Top Diplomat Richard Verma To Visit India Tomorrow 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan: Weather Agency Relationship With India Remains One Of Great Importance: Pentagon Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.