It’s unclear if there was anything in the man’s hands in the footage, which has done little to assuage his relatives.
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The police announcement came after hundreds of people gathered in Charlotte’s Marshall Park demanding the release of the police video footage, marching peacefully under the hot sun in, chanting and holding signs that said “Release the Tape”. Justin Bamberg, an attorney for Scott’s family, said the footage doesn’t show a gun in Scott’s hand.
In the dashboard camera video, Mr Scott could be seen slowly backing away from his SUV with his hands down, and it is not apparent if he is holding anything. He falls to the ground after four shots are heard. They didn’t do anything about that, until they saw he also had a gun, the chief said.
Police also revealed for the first time that officers had chose to confront Scott, 43, in the parking lot of his apartment complex Tuesday because they noticed, as they were preparing to serve a warrant on another person, that he was rolling a marijuana cigarette inside his SUV – and had observed him “hold a gun up”, according to a news release. It is when he gets out and begins walking backwards when he is shot. Officer Vinson fired his issued service weapon, striking Mr. Scott.
Both videos show Scott moving at a measured pace with his hands at his sides.
The body camera footage does not show the moment shots are fired and Mr Scott is next seen on the ground.
“One of the biggest questions”, Bamberg said, “is do those actions, do those precious seconds, justify this shooting?”
Chief Kerr Putney said officers were trying to serve a warrant on someone else when they spotted marijuana and a weapon in Mr Scott’s vehicle.
“Our practice and our protocol is to release as soon as we can, to inform”, Putney said, adding that he waited until the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation assured him it would not adversely impact its investigation.
At a news conference, Putney said that his officers didn’t break the law but noted that the state is continuing its investigation and that Scott was “absolutely in possession of a handgun”. But, added to witness statements and other evidence, he said the evidence was definitive.
At least five people who appear to be police officers are seen in the bodycam video.
Putney said there was footage from the dashboard camera in one of the police cars, and at least one body camera.
The two-minute video recorded by Scott’s wife on a mobile phone showed the scene of the shooting, but not the shooting itself.
“They look in the vehicle and they see the marijuana, they don’t act”. Moments later a uniformed officer joins the first officer’s position behind a truck. The 43-year-old black man was shot to death by a black officer on Tuesday.
Police also released photos showing what they say showed a handgun and marijuana that were in Scott’s possession. Upon their return, they identified themselves as officers and warned Scott to drop the weapon, the CMPD said. Additionally, links to the portion of the digital mobile video recorder (dash-cam) and body worn camera footage that capture the time of the shooting are included below.
The dramatic video released by Charlotte police shows officers with guns drawn surrounding the man just before the shooting. The officer is also black.
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Charlotte has been on edge ever since Scott’s death. The demonstrations reached a violent crescendo on Wednesday before the National Guard was called in a day later to maintain order.
