KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Friday morning, family, friends and colleagues gathered at the Wyandotte County Courthouse to honor Patrick Rohrer and Theresa King, two sheriff's deputies who were killed in the line of duty two years ago.
"Goodness continues forever. The goodness of Deputy King and Deputy Rohrer continues forever," KCK Mayor David Alvey said at the memorial.
It was a ceremony to celebrate, and grieve, two lives cut short.
"Every day someone needs us. Whether it be our children, spouse, community we serve, it's our responsibility to live on and support these men and women's legacy," Wyandotte County Sgt. Jeff Taylor said.
Shortly after the memorial, a different kind of grief was on display across the street at City Hall. Peaceful protesters, who waited until the tribute to the fallen deputies had ended, gathered to grieve George Floyd's death in song and eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence before making demands for systemic change.
"If the mayor's sentiments are true and heartfelt and he truly does believe black citizens in America have experienced racial disparities, then KCKPD as an entity of this government must take actions to correct that," J'Hlesa Richardson said. "If we have to be accountable for our bad apples, they should be accountable for theirs."
Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis police custody. Eighteen days later, protests continue across the country and here in the Kansas City metro as demonstrators plead for equity and equality.
"Young, old, in between, no matter what color you are. You are not a crayon, you are a human, don't recognize yourself by the color of a crayon," Khadijah Hardaway said. "You are not brown, black, blue, green or in between, we are a human race, one race."
