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Posted on Tue, Dec. 16, 2003
Walker's death 'a call to action'
Rally unites many concerned citizens looking for answers
BY CHUCK WILLIAMS
Staff Writer
Michael Ellison stood quietly, listening intently.
The 50-year-old Columbus Technical College employee was one of about 350 people attending an Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance rally sparked by last week's death of Kenneth B. Walker, who was shot by a Muscogee County Sheriff's Department deputy.
There were also local officials and dignitaries in the crowd -- Superior Court Judge John Allen, Rep. Calvin Smyre, City Manager Carmen Cavezza, Columbus Councilor Nathan Suber and Councilor Wayne Anthony.
Ellison was prompted to attend by his pastor at World Change Tabernacle, Prathan L. Powell.
"I am here supporting the effort to find out what really happened," Ellison said. "And, hopefully, to see that it doesn't continue to happen."
The crowd outside the Government Center was predominantly black. Anthony, a white councilor who was elected city- wide last year, said that was unfortunate.
"This represents the pain and agony of a community that goes far beyond this horrific tragedy," Anthony said. "We are a whole community, and the whole community was not represented."
Cavezza, the highest ranking city official in attendance, watched the proceedings carefully.
"I see a lot of emotion and I see a lot of unity," Cavezza said. "It is clearly constructive and appropriate; and that is encouraging."
Near the end of the rally, a group of Walker's Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers linked arms and sang their song of brotherhood, "Omega Dear."
Reginald Dean Sullivan, one of Walker's fraternity brothers and friends, said the tragedy has pulled the men together.
"We are a fraternity that believes strongly in friendship and brotherhood," said Sullivan, 42. "This has drawn us closer together. This is a call to action that things need to be done in our community to make it better. We have a history of these types of problems and that history needs to be changed."
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