“It’s sad,” she said at the church following the shooting. “We’re getting people to take a stand for justice and then this happens. It’s a devastating reminder of why we need to come together.”

The Rev. Starsky Wilson delivered the keynote address at the King service.

“For a lot of people, this triggers all kinds of emotions from before,” Wilson said of the officer-involved shooting.

Debra Kennedy had also been at the worship center for the King event. She went to the gas station with other concerned onlookers.

Kennedy said the police department recently promised to brief protesters at police shootings about the circumstances.

“The protesters outside need to be told by the police,” she said. “And they haven’t done that.”

Of the fact that the shooting came during a weekend of King memorials, Kennedy said: "I think it's a message." She did not elaborate.

O’Toole said during the news conference that everyone has the right to protest, but said the gunman didn’t appear to leave the sergeant any choice.