North Carolina Governor Pat McRory said late Wednesday that he was declaring a state of emergency over the unrest and sending in the National Guard.
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The governor of the southern USA state of North Carolina declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday (Sep 21) following a second night of unrest in Charlotte ignited by the fatal police shooting of a black man.
But the city later tweeted: “Civilian who suffered gunshot wound during protests is on life support, critical condition. Not deceased”, the city said on Twitter.
State officials issued a state of emergency in Charlotte and deployed the National Guard in an attempt to quell the unrest.
“We can not tolerate violence”.
“Any violence directed toward our citizens or police officers or destruction of property should not be tolerated”, McCrory said in a statement.
Charlotte mayor Jennifer Roberts told MSNBC that she will view the video on Thursday, despite not being part of the investigation.
Hundreds of protesters rallied overnight, chanting “black lives matter”. “People found whatever objects they could to break glasses”. A fire was set to block the lanes of traffic and a nearby Walmart store was also looted.
Some rioters smashed things while others knocked over an ATM and grabbed money from it, said Marcus DiPaulo, a freelance photographer.
The Hyatt House Hotel in downtown went into lockdown as protesters tossed bricks through the window. Protesters have rushed police in riot gear at a downtown Charlotte.
An officer is said to have also been injured in the demonstration and Charlotte Police Chief Kerr Putney described the protest as “very aggressive”.
The protest comes after police on Tuesday fatally shot 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott. As Charlotte’s white mayor and black police chief stood at City Hall and appealed for calm, African-American leaders who said they were speaking for Scott’s family held their own news conference near where he was killed Tuesday, reminding the crowd of other shootings and abuses of black men.
“It was confirmed not to be a police officer”, she told CNN, referring to the shooter. “He was sitting in his auto reading a mother******* book”. Shelby shoots him as he puts his hands on the vehicle, and he falls to the ground. He said officers couldn’t find a book at the scene. A black plainclothes officer in a vest badged “Police” shot Mr Scott after the officer and other uniformed members of the force made “loud, clear” demands that he drop the gun, the chief said. Police said he was armed, while family and a witness instead said he only had a book.
“I can also tell you we did not find a book”, Putney said.
Dashcam video released later at the trial appeared to show Ferrell walking toward officers; he quickly begins running toward police as lights hit his chest. Vinson was not wearing a body camera.
Someone shouts, “Get on the ground!” three times, and shots are heard off camera. Protesters have been demanding justice and an end to police brutality for months.
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.
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch acknowledged the country’s racial tensions after the latest police shootings. Those protests turned violent after several hours.
“Keith was a loving husband, father, brother and friend who will be deeply missed every day”, Rakeyia Scott said.
Annette Albright, who attended the protests, said those misbehaving need direction.
Law enforcement officials attempted to disperse the crowd, but many of them splintered off and attempted to block roadways.
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At least 16 officers were reportedly injured in the protests.
