Rapper Common, city officials attend Erica Garner Funeral

NEW YORK – The daughter of Eric Garner, whose death became a rallying cry for police reform, was remembered at her memorial in New York as a warrior.

The funeral for 27-year-old Erica Garner was held Monday evening at a Harlem church and was attended by hundreds, including city officials and the rapper and actor Common. She died from a heart attack.

The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy. He said Garner’s lasting impact was that she turned her pain into power, becoming an activist for police reform.

Eric Garner died on Staten Island in 2014. He had been arrested on suspicion of selling loose untaxed cigarettes and officers took him to the ground. He cried out: “I can’t breathe!” and then became unconscious. The medical examiner’s office says the chokehold contributed to his death.