Walk held for DeLand man struck, killed by officer

DELAND, Fla. — A walk was held Saturday in memory of a man who was hit and killed by a police officer in DeLand.

It’s been one year since Marlon Brown died and his family insists the officer who struck him should have never chased him with the car while Brown was on foot.

While the officer was fired, the Brown family still wants to see change within DeLand. They marched about six blocks from the Chisholm Community Center to Springhill Park, where a rally was held immediately after.

Close to 100 family members, friends, and others who have lost loved ones bowed their heads in prayer at the rally, which was held to raise awareness about the importance of community support following tragedies they said are unjust.

“It is time for us to support what is right,” said Brown’s aunt, Gwendolyn Willamson.

The march for justice comes nearly one year to the day after video showed DeLand police Officer James Harris chasing Brown, who took off following a traffic stop.

The video showed Brown slip and fall, and as he was getting back up, it appears as though he was struck by the officer’s car.

“It is tragic to me. Very unfortunate and it could have been handled in a much better manner,” said Marlon Brown’s father, William Brown.

William Brown said seeing the community’s support following his son’s death gave him hope that he could one day see change in DeLand.

“It is going to have to be a team effort with everybody. We can’t just depend on law enforcement and politicians. We have to depend on citizens,” he said.

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who represented the Martin family in the case against George Zimmerman, is expected to speak at the rally.

WFTV