National Guard troops pulled out and ministers asked for calm in this city's black neighborhoods, where hundreds rioted after a white police officer shot a black teen.
"We come here today to thank you . . . to raise our hands, not to throw stones, sticks and bottles, but to say hallelujah," the Rev. Greg Seay said as he led about 350 people in Sunday prayers at Bethel Community Baptist Church.Meanwhile, ministers demanded Gov. Lawton Chiles ensure a fair investigation of the shooting Thursday.
The St. Petersburg chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference issued a statement saying, "The African-American community has no faith in the local state attorney's office."
The community erupted Thursday night when word spread that police had shot Tyron Lewis, 18, during a traffic stop.
Police said Lewis refused to roll down his tinted window when ordered, and that his car lurched forward at an officer who was in front of the vehicle. He was shot through the windshield.
The shooting brought out mobs of people who threw rocks and bottles and set fire to buildings. At least 11 people were injured and 29 buildings burned.
Chiles lifted a state of emergency Sunday evening, a day earlier than planned. He had also banned the sales of guns and gasoline containers after the rioting.
Sunday also saw the pulling out of 200 guardsmen who arrived to help quell the violence.
It was calm Friday and Saturday night in the city, known more for its large retiree population than racial unrest.
About 20 percent of the city's 240,000 residents and 15 percent of its police force are black.