The Governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory has declared a “state of emergency”.
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“I want to assure the people of North Carolina that our SBI has already been assisting the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department throughout the last 24 hours”, McCrory said.
Mayor Jennifer Roberts told CNN by phone that she is asking the demonstrators to listen to Keith Scott’s family and the NAACP to remain peaceful. “I support and commend the law enforcement officials for their bravery and courage during this hard situation”.
Police have announced that anyone who steps into the street near the line of officers will be arrested.
Wednesday’s protests started as a prayer vigil, but a group split off and marched through downtown. “Since black lives do not matter for this city, then our black dollars shouldn’t matter”. Protesters reportedly threw fireworks and bottles at officers who responded with flash grenades and tear gas.
But not all the marchers left.
Department spokesman Keith Trietley said that the 43-year-old got out of the vehicle and back in, and when officers approached he got out of the auto again with a gun, and at least one officer fired a weapon.
Chief Putney said after 9 p.m., “We’re trying to disperse the crowd”. They said a total of three patients were related to the situation in Uptown. The person was initially reported as having died but officials later said they were on life support.
Chief Putney said the police version of Tuesday’s shooting was “based on evidence” and testimony from eyewitnesses.
“Just telling us this is still under investigation is not good enough for the windows of the Wal-Mart”, he said.
Violence flared in the city for the second consecutive day after Scott’s death, and hundreds of protesters clashed with the police in front of a hotel in the city on Wednesday.
Police say Mr Scott was told to drop a handgun before he was shot, while his family insist he was carrying a book. “I say that on one voice and also another voice that when you go public, or when things happen in the community, it’s not the fact that things are happening, it’s the way they’re being treated after they happen”, Newton added. Along with the man shot, paramedics said two other people and six police officers suffered minor injuries.
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Destructive protests Tuesday that included shutting down eight-lane Interstate 85 and burning the contents of a tractor-trailer turned violent Wednesday.
