Family, friends attend funeral for Salaythis Melvin
ORLANDO, Fla. - The funeral for Salaythis Melvin was held Saturday.
Melvin is the 22-year-old who was shot in the back by an Orange County deputy as he was running away earlier this month.
“We are living in treacherous times,” Bishop Kelvin Cobaris of Impact Church said during the funeral. ”We’re living in dark times. We’re living in evil times. This peril appears to be growing worse and worse every day.”
His death sent shockwaves through the community leading to several protests in his honor.
“There is more than a virus called COVID-19,” Cobaris said. “There is a virus of violence. There is a virus of hatred and there’s a virus of misappropriation of power and authority.”
His family, friends, and many he didn’t even know gathered for his funeral.
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“This is a sad situation,” a woman who attended the funeral said. “Just know I don’t know y’all personally but if y’all need me you know I’ll be here for you.”
One by one, they shared memories of him during the funeral. Many had the same message they want justice for Salaythis.
“I stand for what is right,” Cobaris said. “I believe that if we continue to stand for what is right that God, through our humility to him and if we allow him to navigate us through his spirit he will bring us to the justice we’re looking for. Not only for Salaythis, but for others across America who have gone the same way.”
One of the Melvin family attorneys tell me they’re still working to get more surveillance video from Salaythis’ shooting released.
FDLE is still investigating the shooting.