Tuesday’s fatal police shooting of a black man Keith Lamont Scott made a calm city full of protests.
The fatal shooting was “civilian on civilian” related, according to city officials who said police didn’t fire any shots. But a protester who was standing some 20 feet away from the victim claims otherwise.
The streets of uptown Charlotte were calm early Thursday following the second night of protests that turned violent in the wake of Tuesday’s fatal police shooting of a black man. North Carolina Gov. Pat McCory declared a state of emergency Wednesday evening and said he had initiated efforts to deploy the National Guard to quash the violent protests.
Who is Keith Lamont Scott
Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was fatally shot by police Tuesday afternoon in the University area. The officer who shot him, Brentley Vinson, 26, is also black. Police said he held a handgun as he got out of a car in an apartment complex but others claimed he was reading a book. Police said they found a gun but no book at the scene.
The circumstances of Keith Lamont Scott’s death are unclear. Police claim he exited his car armed with a firearm, and “posed an imminent deadly threat to the officers,” prompting officer Brentley Vinson, who is also reportedly black, to open fire. That account, however, is contradicted by Scott’s family, who say he was unarmed and was simply holding a book in his hand.
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts told Good Morning America Thursday that “the city is talking about a curfew.” According to her, President Obama called to say his thoughts are with the city, and offered whatever federal resources the city needed.
