The Oxford community and police officers gathered at Lamar Park Saturday for a vigil to pay respect to lives lost to violence this week. The deaths of two men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Falcon Heights, Minnesota, at the hands of police sparked protests and rallies across the nation, one of which, in Dallas, became violent when a gunman shot 11 police officers, killing five of them. The Associated Press reported that the suspected gunman, Micah Johnson, said the killings were in response to police brutality.
Photos: Ariel Cobbert
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- Pastor Michael James speaks at a prayer vigil Saturday morning in Lamar Park.
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- Courtney Gipson, youth counselor, speaks out about how situations can be deescalated when police and citizens interact.
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- Officer Kevin Parker introduces himself to the crowd at the prayer vigil Saturday morning.
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- Jacqeline Certion, a FasTrack academic adviser, speaks about ways to create change at Saturday’s prayer vigil.
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- Clifton Coleman speaks about his life as a solider and police brutality.
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- Pastor Michael James begins the vigil in Lamar Park with a prayer Saturday morning.
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- Kevin Parker hugs an attendee of the vigil.
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- Chief of Police Joey East speaks about how his department and the community can work together.
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- Trevan Porter speaks about how he deals with law enforcement as a large black man.
