LONGVIEW, Texas — People all over the country are grieving the loss of George Floyd, another unarmed black man who lost his life at the hands of an officer of the law.
"I just think we all have been on an emotional roller coaster and it hurts my heart," said Patrick Johnson of JStarr Ministries. "I was horrified taking a look at that. It was inhumane, very insensitive."
As many people start to lose faith, on Friday evening, a crowd that included local leaders, clergy and law enforcement officers gathered in Longview to try and restore it.
"We were here to lift up the police officers. We were here to bring healing to the Minneapolis area and send prayers to all the cities that were in protest with what was going on," said Pastor Thomas McDaniels, senior pastor at Life Ridge Christian Center in Longview. "Our intended purpose was just to bring unity and prayer and let God get involved in what was happening all across our nation."
Dozens joined together on the front lawn of the Gregg County Courthouse to pray and fellowship in the name of healing.
"I appreciate people to Anglo community, people in the white community coming out and supporting me, I really do," said Pastor Ladarian Brown, a Longview Police officer of eight years.
"I've been taught not to do the very thing that this guy did," said Brown. "Which made me you know, question, 'What are your intentions? Why are you doing the very thing in what you're doing?'"
The event was put on by the Longview Ministerial Alliance. Clergy members from all over Gregg County spoke and offered words of encouragement while the Gregg County Sheriff and Longview Police Chief engaged with the community.
"I think it was a good opportunity for groups to come together tonight, families with concerns to come together," Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano said. "They had a had an opportunity to hear some pretty moving words and then they also had the opportunity to interact and visit with some of us and and I think that the overall that's positive for our community."
"For us to have the chief of police here in Longview that speaks volumes about him, for the sheriff to come out that speaks volume about him," Brown said. "I believe I saw a Kilgore police officer here. It just speaks volume that you know, they agree with everything that I just said."
As the service ended, a woman sang 'Amazing Grace' and people of all races, ages and religions came together, laughing, talking and healing.