A chorus of high-performance car engines ripped through the air as thousands of fans paid tribute to the late Paul Walker Sunday, at the Santa Clarita, Calif, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Fans gathered at the site where Walker and his friend Roger Rodas were killed in a fiery car crash last weekend. According to the LA Times, fans said "silent prayers wrote notes of remembrance on a banner and watched and took photos as cars drove around the loop where Walker and Rodas died."
"I have heard people coming from Texas, already from last night and a couple of other buddies came from the Bay Area," said one attendee, according to the Times. "He's an inspiration. He's a hero to everybody out here."
SoCal Car Meets organized the memorial event with a Facebook invitation, where nearly 8,000 mourners RSVP. Mourners who arrived hours earlier left flowers, candles, stuffed animals and other tributes.
Thousands drove their vehicles down "a normally quiet stretch of road and clogging traffic for three miles," as a tribute to Walker's character in "The Fast and the Furious" franchise and for the actor's personal love of cars.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department issued a traffic warning for drivers to avoid the area unless they were willing to participate in the memorial. The Times reported several vehicles, which were driven in the movies by Walker, were on display in a church parking lot near the crash site.
Traffic: Cars near Paul Walker memorial less but still cars. Hundreds of people on foot. Traffic cones & deputies remain on scene. #SCV
— SCV Sheriff (@SCVSHERIFF) December 9, 2013
Actor Rick Yune, who co-starred with the actor in "The Fast and the Furious," made a quick appearance.
"We mourn his loss but ... we can at least remember how great a guy he was and celebrate his life," Yune told reporters.
Aside from fans, family, friends and co-stars have also honored Walker. Co-star Vin Diesel told about a visit he made to Walker's mother after hearing news of his friend's death, and wrote on his Facebook page.
"Pablo, I wish you could see the world right now... and the profound impact, your full life has had on it, on Us... on me...I will always love you Brian, as the brother you were... on and off screen."
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker, told reporters the gathering was peaceful. Parker said one arrest was made after officials found a man carrying a loaded gun.
Walker and Rodas went for a drive after they attended a charity event for Walker's foundation, Reach Out Worldwide. According to a coroner's report, after the car hit a light pole Walker died of the combined effects of "traumatic and thermal injuries" resulting from the crash.
