RACINE, Wis. — Hundreds of people gathered in Racine on Friday to pay tribute to Koreem Ozier, a 27-year-old who was shot and killed in September following an altercation.
A horse-drawn carriage followed by dozens of vehicles wound its way through the city to lay Ozier to rest. Racine's Memorial Hall hosted the funeral service, with 800 seats prepared for attendees.
Watch this video to see Friday's procession and hear from those who knew Ozier:
"As we celebrate his life today, I think what we should remember is how he lived," said Tasia White, a family friend of Ozier.
Racine is remembering Ozier for his love of basketball and how that extended beyond the court.
"He was love. You know, he loved basketball, but he loved his community, he loved his family, he loved his friends, and that's just what he carried," White said.
She said the city had long recognized something special in him.
"I think the city has always kind of watched him and saw him as a superstar," she said.
Corey Prince, a mentor to Ozier, reflected on the impact Ozier had on people.
"He could make your light brighter," Prince said. "At the age of 27, most people don't have that. That type of effect, that type of magnetism."
The gathering was a sign of Racine rallying around a man who also rallied for the city.
"It is an opportunity for the city to show an outpouring of love for a son of the city. This is somebody who represented Racine on a global scale," Prince said.
Two individuals, Collin Wallace and Justin Millard, have been charged in connection to the crime. Wallace faces a charge of first-degree intentional homicide, and Millard faces a charge of harboring aiding a felon.
As the city continues to mourn weeks later, those who knew Ozier reflected on his impact.
"Twenty-seven years feels like a short amount of time, but to see the amount of impact he's had in such a short amount of time should inspire us to make sure that when we wake up tomorrow, we continue that on," White said.
She said his legacy should spur Racine to live "golden like him," a nod to his nickname, "Golden Child."
"Wherever he went, he lifted this city up," Prince said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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