Mourners react to George Floyd's public viewing in Houston
HOUSTON - Thousands packed the Fountain of Praise Church to pay final respects to George Floyd.
In fact, mourners arrived at the church long before the service started at noon. Most of the people pouring in for the viewing never met him but they know what happened to Mr. Floyd and say it must never happen again.
MORE: 6,362 mourners pay final respects to George Floyd at public viewing in Houston
"He begged for mercy and to not get it in America, in the United States of America, unacceptable,” says Linda Burton.
Those attending the memorial for the Houston native say, the ugly end to Mr. Floyd’s life is actually a beautiful beginning of history-making racial change.
“What happened to George Floyd, the way it happened, the callousness of it, so many people all over the globe and certainly in this country have said we are tired, we’re fed up. No more,” says Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
”It is a seismic, volcano-like turning point,” says Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. In fact, what’s occurring at the tribute is indicative of what’s now happening around the world.
“Well we met a few hours ago in the parking lot. She’s like hey you want to go walk and I’m like yes. And it gave us time to converse and get to know each other,” says Marie O’Bryant and Linda Burton, one black and one white woman who met at the memorial and couldn’t stop talking with one another.
”This is the final resting place for Mr. Floyd physically but the spiritual presence of George will continue,” adds Mayor Turner.
"He looked so peaceful if y’all have not gone in to see him. He is with the Lord. It is…I can’t even put it Into words. It’s so emotional for me,” says Leslie Lacy while choking back tears.
As people of all races come together they are demanding change.
RELATED: Thousands mourn George Floyd in Texas amid calls for reform
“Invest in the communities where we live, communities that have been underserved, under-resourced for decades and If you do that you don’t have to spend nearly as much to police me. That’s what people are saying,” says Mayor Turner.
Americans are calling for police reform like the George Floyd law Rep. Jackson Lee is crafting to address "training, definition of excessive force, racial profiling, establishing civilian review boards, collecting data of misconduct so officers who get fired can’t just move to the next town over,” says the Congresswoman
MORE: Democrats propose sweeping police overhaul; Trump criticizes
"I know George, he's looking down like look what I’ve done. He’s changed the world. He did in his death what he possibly couldn’t have done alive,” says O’Bryant and Burton.