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Family and friends remember the life of slain NFL player

Darrent Williams' family and friends gathered on Friday to remember the charismatic Denver Broncos cornerback who escaped the tough streets but never forgot his roots.

Thousands of mourners filed past Williams' copper-colored casket during a memorial service at the Great Commission Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday night, where Pastor Douglas Brown was to officiate funeral services yesterday.

"We are here tonight to remember the life of this son, bro-ther, friend, Darrent `Dee-Will' Williams," Brown said.

Williams was killed and two other passengers wounded when at least 14 shots were fired into their Hummer, which had just left a New Year's Eve party. Williams was struck once in the neck.

Denver police said on Friday they arrested Willie Clark, 23, on a parole violation and will question him about Williams' slaying.

In Fort Worth, people lined up at two microphones at the big church, which seats 2,500, plus 800 more in an overflow chapel, to tell Williams' family what he meant to them.

A man on a brown mustang trotted up and down the street in front of the church.

As they entered the church a few miles from where Williams grew up, mourners viewed giant photographs of him.

A Broncos helmet sat at the front of the church and Williams' white No. 27 jersey was draped over the altar. Hundreds of people wore replica jerseys, many of them signed by Williams.

The visitation at the church was open to the public, as was yesterday's funeral.
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