Charlotte shooting: Video footage released by victim's family captures attack as it unfolded
As the city of Charlotte in North Carolina reeled under protests in the wake of the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in another instance of police atrocities against the black population in America, a shocking video footage that captures the attack on camera has been released by the victim's family.
The video has triggered further debate on whether the shooting was justified, as the police authorities have held from the very beginning, as it does not throw light on whether the victim was, in fact, unarmed.
This is how the attack unfolded:
Police have refused to release body-cam and dash-cam video of the shooting that took place on Tuesday, which they say shows Keith Lamont Scott posing a threat to officers. His death is the latest in a string of police-involved killings of black men that have fuelled outrage across America.
Charlotte has been rocked by three nights of violence-marred protests, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency in the southern US city. Protesters defied a curfew late Thursday, marching through the streets amid a heavy presence of police, National Guard troops and highway police officers. The curfew order was set to remain in effect last night.
The case has touched the US presidential race, with Democrat Hillary Clinton planning to visit Charlotte on 25 September, her campaign said. Clinton weighed in on the video issue earlier yesterday, tweeting that police should release its footage "without delay."
The two minutes and 16 seconds of smartphone footage filmed by Rakeyia Scott, released by her lawyers to AFP and other news media, does not show the shooting itself but captures the moments surrounding it, as she pleads with officers not to open fire.
"Don't shoot him, he has no weapon! He has no weapon! Don't shoot him!" she is heard saying. "He has a TBI, he's not going to do anything to you guys," she says, presumably referring to a traumatic brain injury. Neighbours have told AFP the 43-year-old Scott was disabled and had a stutter.
He was shot and killed during a parking lot encounter with police searching for another person wanted for arrest. The police say he had a handgun. His family says he was holding a book.
As Scott's wife records, police are heard yelling "Drop the gun! Drop the gun!"
"Don't let them break the windows. Come on out the car," she shouts to her husband. Four quick gunshots are heard, at which point the phone is pointing away from the shooting. Moments later, the video shows Scott lying face down on the asphalt surrounded by officers. "Did you shoot him? Did you shoot him?" Rakeyia Scott screams.
--with PTI inputs
First published: 24 September 2016, 1:40 IST
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