The brutal and televised beating of Tyre Nichols has many families in deep thought. Some of them flocked to churches, like Alfred Street Baptist Church.
“Every mom thinks about that moment and thinks, ‘What if it was my son?’” said Shavon Arline-Bradley, President and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women, a wife and mother.
She says the death of Tyre Nichols—means more conversations about safety—and understanding--- not all police are bad.
“I am now in the position where many black mothers are in this country. We have to start earlier and earlier,” said Arline-Bradley.
Pastor Howard John Wesley said he received phone calls from members, who expected a word from him in church, after seeing the brutality of another unarmed black person, killed by police.
“It hurt my heart to feel the pain of his mother, and to see the video released,” he shared with church members.
Wesley said he broke his fast, in order to watch the video.
“Sick is not the best word to describe it. Disgusted, depressed, saddened, frightful, angry, just every kind of negative emotion all at once,” he explained.
Pastor Wesley shared his pain and his prayer after watching the beating death of Tyre Nichols. But he says the church and the world must focus on change.
“So we take it and we look to change our world and particularly in preparing our own children to have positive interaction with police officers, while at the same time highlighting police officers who do a darn good job and put themselves in harm's way,” said Wesley.
He also shared a video, “10 Rules of Survival If Stopped by the Police” to help church members understand how to get home safely.
Wesley says there has been progress in the Tyre Nichols investigation, with the arrests of the officers charged in his death. He encourages his members to keep the faith despite the pain.
“We cannot give up now, because then we abandon the generations that come after us. And we deny the sacrifice of those who have come before. So, giving up is not an option,” said Wesley.