‘This city is broken’: L.A. planning memorial event for Kobe Bryant, Garcetti says

Saying “this city is broken,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said Los Angeles is planning a memorial for Kobe Byrant and others killed in the Sunday helicopter crash, but that no date has yet been set.

“There will absolutely be a memorial to mark the contributions of this incredible man and not only him, but to commemorate the loss of his daughter and all the other families that were there,” Garcetti said Thursday. “We don’t have that date finalized but we’ve been talking every day to the Lakers, and most importantly, to [Bryant’s widow, Vanessa] as well. I think one message that I would say is this is not just about a man who was a basketball player, this is about a father, this is about a leader, this is about a filmmaker, this is about an artist, this is about somebody who was so much more than just how he was on the court.”

Bryant’s death has unleashed an outpouring of grief across Los Angeles, with thousands converging on Staples Center and L.A. Live, and numerous memorial murals going up. For two days after the crash, thousands also went to the crash site in Calabasas.

“It’s a reminder how much unity we have, though. We are one city that believes in each other, believes in something bigger than ourselves and we will absolutely do everything to make sure that this is done so that everybody can come to it as well,” the mayor said.

It’s unclear whether the Bryant memorial would be at Staples Center, which was the site for events memorializing both rapper Nipsey Hussle and singer Michael Jackson.