MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - The cars lined up for miles. People came during the midday hour to the funeral services for Memphis Police Officer Martoiya Lang. It was their way to let the officer's family and friends know they cared. There were so many who said they felt they had to do something. Ron Jackson of Memphis, for example, volunteered to help direct traffic. "This is my way," he said, "even though I didn't know the officer, this is my way to help. It's affected all of Memphis."
It has. It should. In fact, it should make every decent person in this city angry. All Martoiya Lang was doing was her job. "That's all she was doing," said a man who didn't want us to use his name. "She was doing her job and some clown with a gun decides he's going to shoot her."
Two young men stood in the parking lot. One was a friend of one of Officer Lang's four children. His name was Donte Franklin and he is fourteen years old. Sometimes, Donte says, he worries about being shot. It's happened in his family before. "It was my cousin," he said. "Shot, not killed, but shot."
Donte's friend is also fourteen years old. His name is Torrey Taylor, and he said he had a story to tell about his father. "He was working in his shop," Torry said. "He is a tire man. They bum rushed him and shot him. They shot him in his arm. He's ok now."
These stories are the reasons why Martoiya Lang worked as a police officer. She wanted to make Memphis a better place. A friend of hers said she wants the people of this city to remember what happened. "It's hard," Kenya Shannon of Memphis said. "I mean...look how it happened. It's hard. But it kind of makes me proud to see all the love and support. So many people from Memphis came out and showed their support of her."
