Funeral for Walter Scott draws hundreds

Hundreds attended the funeral of Walter Scott this Saturday to pay their respects to the man who was fatally shot by a South Carolina police officer.

Scott, 50, was killed when officer Michael Slager, 33, shot at him eight times from behind on April 4.

Walter Scott’s funeral

The hearse, covered in the American flag carrying Scott’s body was accompanied by a police escort of two officers on motorcycles, according to USA Today.

Cameras were not allowed in the three-hour service at the church that began at 11 a.m.

According to The Guardian, the hall quickly reached capacity, leaving around 100 people outside.

Pastor George Hamilton who spoke the service said that Scott’s death was the result of “overt racism,” the newspaper reports.

“Keep your phone handy, keep your charge up. You never know when you need to be around,” he added.

The funeral programs featured messages written by the Scott family.

“No words we write could ever say how sad and empty we feel today,” part of it read. “The angels came for you much sooner than we planned, we’ll brave the bitter grief that comes and we’ll try to understand.”

Officer Michael T. Slager has been fired and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Scott. An investigation still continues.