Community remember slain Louisiana man known as 'Big Boy'

Artist Jo Hines spray paints a mural of Alton Sterling outside the Triple S convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, July 6, 2016. Sterling, 37, was shot and killed outside the store by Baton Rouge police, where he was selling CDs. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (The Associated Press)

prev next

Sandra Sterling, aunt of Alton Sterling, who was shot and killed during a scuffle with police officers, speaks at a vigil outside the Triple S convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, July 6, 2016. In a swift move by authorities to keep tensions from boiling over, the U.S. Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation Wednesday into the video-recorded killing of Sterling, who was shot as he scuffled with two white police officers on the pavement outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (The Associated Press)

BATON ROUGE, La. – Friends and family of a slain Baton Rouge man are remembering the 37-year-old as a friendly man who tried to make a living selling music at a local convenience store.

Larry Sterling said Wednesday he was a cousin of Alton Sterling, the man who was shot and killed by police after an altercation Tuesday evening.

Larry Sterling said every time he would see Alton he was smiling.

The man who owned the store where Sterling was killed said he had been selling CDs for years outside his store and never created any problems.

Abdullah Muflahi said he called Sterling "Big Boy" and said he was always laughing or joking around.

The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into Sterling's death. Hundreds of people took to the streets outside the convenience store Wednesday.