Violence broke out in Charlotte, North Carolina for a second night on Wednesday as police confronted a repeat of clashes ignited by the fatal police shooting of a black man.
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Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old black man, died in hospital after a police officer shot him in the University City area of Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon.
As Wednesday’s protest went on, city officials said a civilian had been shot and killed by another civilian.
A police officer was also being treated for injuries suffered during last night’s protests.
Part of what’s been driving the violent unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina, since the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott is that there are conflicting reports about what Scott was doing when he was killed.
Scott was shot after exiting his vehicle holding a weapon following officers’ continual requests for him to drop the firearm.
Officers say he was repeatedly told to drop his handgun before he was shot but his family say he was reading a book, as he waited for his son to be dropped off by the school bus.
As darkness fell on Charlotte following the shooting protesters gathered near the scene and local WSCOC-TV reported they blocked a road leading to the apartment complex as police in riot gear stood by.
Scott’s family says he was reading in his auto and was unarmed.
Police in Charlotte on Wednesday appealed for calm and defended their actions in the death of Mr Scott by insisting he had been repeatedly warned to drop his gun.
Widely differing accounts of Tuesday’s shooting emerged the next day.
The unidentified victim was a civilian who was shot by another civilian, the city said on its Twitter account.
Whether or not Scott had a gun at the time of the incident has been argued between the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Scott’s family since Tuesday and this photo could be proof to justify the police’s claim, according to WCNC.
Footage recorded immediately afterwards showed a black man lying in a pool of blood as people shouted for help before being ordered to move back by police.
He was shot when he emerged from his auto holding his weapon.
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Police have not released video of the exchange. I want to assure our community and I want to assure all of you and people across the nation: We will achieve justice.
