Christian Taylor’s funeral draws hundreds to nourn student killed by police

Nearly a thousand mourners came to pay their respect at Christian Taylor’s funeral.

Taylor, 19, was fatally shot by Arlington, TX police, an incident that many cite as an unjust police killing of black men.

Christian Taylor’s funeral

Teammates from Angelo State University, where Taylor played football, and friends remembered him at a church in the Dallas-area city of Arlington as a person full of energy who had much to offer.

Officer fired in Christian Taylor’s fatal police shooting

Officer Brad Miller, 49, the rookie officer who fatally shot Taylor, was fired from his job in what his superiors say was poor judgement. Taylor had broken into a car dealership and was vandalizing cars when Miller and other officers responded to the scene due a burglary call.

A lawyer for Miller said the officer was in the right and his actions saved lives.

“He was on fire for the Lord,” Goines said at the funeral.

Goines also had a jab at the former officer, saying he was quick to draw his gun and fire at the unarmed teenager.

Taylor’s shooting came two days before the first anniversary of the death of African American Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson said Miller made a series of bad decisions in communicating with fellow officers and initially approaching Taylor on his own without a plan for arrest.

There were five other officers on the scene but Miller was the only one to draw his weapon.

Miller, who was undergoing training with the department, fired four rounds at Taylor, who died from gunshot wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen.

Police are preparing a criminal case against Miller.

Adrian Taylor, the victim’s brother, fought back tears as he said Christian was “a competitor and a fighter who did not want to be left behind.”

Christian told him that he wanted to change the world and be the next Martin Luther King, his brother said.

Source : Rawstory