Family, friends, and supporters gathered on Wednesday night at the Bethel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York to pay respect to Eric Garner, the man who died after cops placed him in a chokehold last Thursday.

The cellphone video of Garner's encounter with Staten Island police showed the asthmatic man saying "I can't breathe" eight times as police struggled to push his head into the pavement. The New York Police Department (NYPD) said they suspected Garner was a seller of untaxed cigarettes, USA Today detailed.

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Garner's wife Esaw walked into the church on Wednesday supported by two young boys. His mother, Gwen Carr, trailed behind with head hung low, the Metro reported.

Esaw collapsed in the church as she looked at her dead husband inside the casket, the New York Daily News said. The late father of six had a white silk suit and a turquoise shirt on.

Garner's wife screamed that her husband did not deserve what he went through. She described Eric as a man who "cared for everybody."

Kadiatou Diallo, Amadou Diallo's widow, also attended the wake. Diallo died in 1999 when police thought his wallet was a gun and shot him down. The widow said Garner's case brought back bad memories and complained that nothing changed even after many similar cases occurred.

Eric Adams, the president of Brooklyn Borough, also attended the funeral. He remarked that conversation worked better for "small, non-violent crimes" rather than jail time.

Amid the probe into Garner's case, two cops surrendered their badges and guns and four medical staff were suspended without pay. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton ordered a review and major revision of police violence training on the heels of the incident.

Outside the chapel, protesters littered the area with signs saying "I can't breathe!" and cheering Garner's family on.

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton announced on Wednesday that he, together with the Garner family and their lawyer, will have an appointment with the U.S. Attorney of the Civil Rights Division for the Eastern District of New York on Friday. Sharpton is also set to deliver the eulogy for Garner.

TagsEric Garner, NYPD chokehold victim