Family Of Police Shooting Victim Akai Gurley Has Asked Al Sharpton To Stay Away

The family of police shooting victim Akai Gurley has been mourning their loss and is now saying that they want to do it without the intervention of a person who seems to make a living by showing up whenever someone is killed by the cops.  According to The New York Post, the family has told Rev. Al Sharpton that he doesn’t need to show his face at the man’s funeral, and that he would be an unnecessary distraction.

The NY Post is claiming that Sharpton not only made plans to attend the funeral, but even put out a press release claiming that he would be delivering the eulogy, all of this allegedly without the family’s permission.   This is a pretty heavy allegation if true.  The family is making it clear to the public that they don’t need Sharpton’s help and would rather have him stay away.

“It’s been a nightmare,” Gurley’s aunt, Hertencia Petersen, told The Post. “He just wants to take credit for this when he’s never even contacted my sister [Gurley’s mother].

“Who made you the spokesperson of our family? We just want to bury our nephew with dignity and respect.”

According to The Post, Peterson was shocked to hear that Sharpton had planned himself to be the speaker at their loved one’s funeral.  She claims that they wanted the eulogy to be delivered by someone who actually knew the deceased.

“How can you do a eulogy for someone you don’t even know? It’s heartbreaking,” she said.

Sharpton has since backed away from the situation saying that it "was a lack of confusion and division" within the family. He will not be attending the funeral or the wake at this time.

What do you think, should there always be a requirement for Al Sharpton to have a presence in situations like this? In your opinion, what has Al Sharpton's presence done to make these type of situations better or worse?