After funeral, Renisha McBride's family looks to 'bring the tenor down' on outcry as shooting investigation continues

Renisha McBride's family speaks after her funeral Renisha McBride's family, (left) her mother Monica McBride, father Walter Ray Simmons and aunt Bernita Spinks, speak after Renisha's funeral Friday, Nov. 8. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)

Family and friends attended the funeral for Renish McBridge Friday afternoon at House of Prayer & Praise in Detroit, Nov. 8. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)

DETROIT, MI -- Renisha McBride's mother Monica McBride took a moment to face news reporters after her daughter's funeral Friday, but she couldn't speak.

Her face full of anguish and her eyes closed, she didn't utter a word after hundreds of people gathered at a Detroit church to say goodbye to the 19-year-old and see her off in a closed, white casket.

Renisha McBride was daughter was shot to death on the doorstep of a Dearborn Heights home early Saturday morning, apparently while seeking help after a car crash.

The shooter has not been arrested.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is awaiting more information from police before making a decision on issuing any charges.

"We believe that Kym Worthy will do the right thing," said the victim's father Walter Ray Simmons.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage and comparisons to the 2012 Florida shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer.

But the family on Friday did not make that comparison.

"We want to bring the tenor down a little bit and let them do their job," said Ron Scott, a spokesperson for the family and for the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality.

Trayvon Martin's mother was in Muskegon this week for a speech, but she left Michigan without mentioning McBride.

The family's lawyer Gerald Thurswell said police and Worthy should be given time to thoroughly investigate the case.

"We don't want to rush them," Thurswell said. "We believe the conclusion will be that he will be prosecuted."

Dearborn Heights Police have released few details on the incident to media.

Scott and Thurswell said McBride was in a crash on Braile Street on Detroit's far west side, suffered injuries, walked around the area and knocked on several doors between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. before reaching the Outer Drive home where she was killed.

"She's disoriented... she's in this area, she doesn't have a cellphone and she needed help and she got shot in the face.," Thurswell said. "... He chose to put his gun in her face and he claims it went off accidentally. I don't know how a gun goes off without a finger on the trigger."

Scott said the family appreciates the outcry from the community but that it's up to police and the prosecutor to act.

A protest demanding an arrest was held outside Dearborn Heights Police headquarters Thursday night, but the family did not participate.

U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit) issued a statement on the matter Friday.

"The shooting death of Renisha McBride has left the Detroit area hurt and asking many questions about how an unarmed 19 year old young woman, reportedly seeking assistance in the middle of the night, could so tragically lose her life," Conyers said.

"There has been discussion about the impact of Michigan’s controversial stand your ground laws and whether they contributed to this incident. I have long opposed laws of this nature. I am confident that Wayne County prosecutors and law enforcement will conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is served for Renisha’s family. We join the greater Detroit community in mourning her passing and will closely monitor the developing investigation and legal proceedings.”

State Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D-Redford Twp.), who represents a portion of Detroit's west side, attended the funeral, but slipped away without speaking to reporters.

(Update: Cavanagh said in a statement: "I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that Renisha’s parents are feeling at this moment. There are many unanswered questions about the events that transpired leading up to the death of Renisha McBride, but it is my hope that the Wayne County Prosecutor and the Dearborn Heights Police Department will work expeditiously to bring immediate resolution to this heartbreaking situation.")

Family members described McBride as a caring person who loved cars and shopping, worked for Ford Motor Co. and had aspirations of becoming a police officer.

She was a graduate of Southfield High School.

"I just want Kym Worthy to do whatever she has to do, no matter how long it takes," said her aunt Bernita Spinks.

Follow MLive Detroit reporter Khalil AlHajal on Twitter @DetroitKhalil or on Facebook at Detroit Khalil. He can be reached at kalhajal@mlive.com or 313-643-0527.

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