The funeral for Freddie Gray is set for today and White House officials are reportedly among the hundreds of peoples who are in attendance.
CNN reported that in addition to these officials, families of victims who have died under similar suspicious circumstances will be there for Gray’s family, including relatives of Eric Garner, who died in New York last year after being placed in a chokehold by a New York police officer.
In that case, a grand jury chose not to indict the police officer, leading to protests.
The White House attendees include Broderick Johnson, who is the Cabinet Secretary and the chair of the administration’s My Brother’s Keeper Task Force, Elias Alcantara with the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Heather Foster, who is an adviser for the White House Office of Public Engagement.
There have been protests since Gray’s death after he his arrest, since there was a delay in him receiving medical care due to his injury. While some protests were civil, a small group became violent, leading Gray’s sister, Fredericka to comment, “My family wants to say, ‘Can ya’ll please, please stop the violence.’ Freddie Gray would not want this.”
The Baltimore police officers involved in Gray’s case have been questioned, although a sixth officer invoked his rights not to make a statement.
NPR reported that after he was arrested, Gray had suffered an acute spinal cord injury that led to a coma. He died on April 19.
Gray’s family and many leaders in Baltimore have asked demonstrators to remain peaceful in their protests. An investigation into Gray’s death is ongoing.