Protesters gather on Old Concord Road. Photo by Pooja Pasupula.
Update 6:06 p.m.: Businesses in Uptown, Charlotte are being encouraged to close early and residents are being advised to lock their doors, city officials warn. Protests are rumored to start in Uptown tonight.
Update 3:45 p.m.: Scott was an alumni of North Carolina A&T State University.
Protests erupt around campus as the aftermath of fatal shooting of an African-American man Tuesday afternoon.
43-year-old African American Keith Scott was shot and killed yesterday afternoon by an African-American police officer, sparking growing protests that lasted well into the early morning today.
Protesters gather on Old Concord Road. Photo by Pooja Pasupula.
Trash and broken glass littered the streets in the wake of where the protesters had been. Police in riot gear have stretched across Old Concord Road, blocking it off from protesters.
Officers deployed tear gas throughout the night to disperse protesters.
Protesters on Old Concord Road could be heard chanting “stop killing us,” at the police officers.
Some protesters were throwing objects at police officers, but other protesters discouraged the behavior, stating that they wanted to have a peaceful protest and they didn’t want police officers to retaliate.
At 1:45 a.m. protesters walked onto I-85, shutting down the interstate. Protesters on I-85 began looting parked trucks and setting fires on the Interstate.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), officers arrived at the Village at College Downs apartment complex in search of a suspect with an outstanding warrant.
While in search of the suspect, officers noticed Scott, who was armed with a firearm and “posed an immediate threat,” according to a statement made by police.
Scott was transported to the Carolinas Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The officer responsible for shooting Scott has been identified as Officer Brentley Vinson. Vinson is currently on paid administrative lead, following standard procedure, while police investigate the incident, according to a news release.
Photos by Pooja Pasupula.
There are conflicting stories between the victims family and the police reports. While police reports say that Scott was armed and making threats at the officers, the victims sister took to social media claiming that he was waiting in a car for his kids to get off the bus and that he never had a firearm in his possession.
Over the course of the night, 16 officers were injured, several civilians were treated for minor injuries and roughly five arrests were made.