EMS officials said they had taken eight patients – seven law-enforcement officers and one civilian – to area hospitals during second night of protests over the police shooting of a black man.
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One person was on life support after being shot during Wednesday night’s protest, according to Charlotte city officials.
Scott is the armed man fatally shot by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police at an apartment complex Sunday in the North Carolina.
Authorities said that the shooting was “civilian on civilian”, and that police did not open fire.
Governor Pat McCrory said the National Guard and state Highway Patrol troopers would be sent in to help police in Charlotte restore and maintain order.
With officials refusing to release any video of the Tuesday shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott, anger built as two starkly different versions emerged: Police say Scott disregarded repeated demands to drop his gun, while neighborhood residents say he was holding a book, not a weapon, as he waited for his son to get off the school bus.
“It’s too much. It’s too much”, winced one woman, wiping tears from her eyes as she stood before riot police. They continued into early Wednesday morning, when TV footage showed dozens of protesters on Interstate 85 apparently looting semi-trucks and setting their contents on fire on the highway. But the chief said he could not release the video because the investigation was still under way. Currently, a line of police in riot gear is not directly confronted by angry protesters, but some individuals have approached the line as the evening has progressed.
An organized protest began at Marshall Park at 7 p.m., with hundreds of people gathered peacefully with chants of “No justice, no peace” and “black lives matter”.
Chaos during the protests reportedly spread as protesters were hit with rubber bullets and tear gas by police, bottles were thrown and firecrackers were set off.
“He stepped out, posing a threat to the officers, and officer Brentley Vinson subsequently fired his weapon, striking the subject”, the police chief said.
His wife issued a statement Wednesday afternoon addressing the protesters, and urging them to exercise restraint against law enforcement officers.
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts appealed for calm and patience as the shooting is investigated.
A protester was clinging to life after being shot by another demonstrator during the Charlotte riots on Wednesday September 21 in a graphic scene captured on video.
Two other people were also reportedly injured.
Ferrell walked to the home of Sarah McCartney, who said she heard someone banging loudly on her door and called 911. Police said he “refused to follow commands given by the officers” and that “he reached inside the vehicle”. “I can tell you we did not find a book”.
Keith was a loving husband, father, brother and friend who will be deeply missed every day.
Last week’s fatal shooting of Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, sparked protests after video of the killing was aired Monday.
Wednesday’s protests started as a prayer vigil, but a group split off and marched through the city centre.
Putney said 16 officers were injured in the protests.
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“These tensions, they popped yesterday and this is the outcome”, he said.
