State of Emergency Declared in Charlotte

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State of Emergency Declared in Charlotte

'My heart bleeds for what our great city is going through'

By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 22, 2016 1:58 AM CDT
Updated Sep 22, 2016 6:46 AM CDT

(Newser) – North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency Wednesday night in Charlotte after a second night of protests over the police shooting of a black man turned violent and the city's police chief said he needed the help. A peaceful prayer vigil turned into an angry march and then a night of violence after a man was shot and critically wounded as groups of protesters rampaged through parts of downtown and charged police in riot gear trying to protect an upscale hotel, the AP reports. Police say they did not shoot the man. "My heart bleeds for what our great city is going through," said McCrory, who was mayor of Charlotte for 14 years before becoming governor.

The violence happened amid questions about what happened Tuesday afternoon when 43-year-old Keith Scott was shot and killed in the parking lot of his condo complex. Police said Scott had a gun and refused orders to drop it. Scott's family and neighbors said he was holding a book. "He got out of his car, he walked back to comply, and all his compliance did was get him murdered," said Taheshia Williams, whose balcony overlooks the shady parking spot where Scott was Tuesday afternoon. She says he often waited there for his son because a bicycle accident several years ago left him susceptible to seizures if he stayed out in the hot sun too long.

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@Miller,

The video released by the deceased's wife features her saying, at least twice, something to the effect of "Don't do it Keith, don't do it."

What did she mean?

"Don't close that book without a bookmark!"

"Don't show that book to the cops, they like Danielle Steele!"

"Don't throw that book at the police!"

It couldn't possibly have meant "Don't get out of the car!" because seconds before she was yelling "Get out of the car Keith!"

The video reveals the wife yelling "Don't shoot him he doesn't have a gun."

It also reveals more than one cop yelling "Drop the ******* gun!"

Who to believe?

Keith, BTW, had a record of run ins with cops.

Just an innocent book lover sitting in his car enjoying Hemingway.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Listening..

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@Finn dAbuzz,

A gun supposedly belonging to the victim was found in the road.

What was it doing there?

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@Miller,

I'm not sure how to read your comment.

Sarcastic?

In any case, the police say they found a gun. I would think that if the person holding it had taken multiple slugs to the chest, he would have dropped it and as he was standing in the street when shot, it's pretty logical that the street is where the gun would be found.

I've heard arguments that the gun was found too far from his body to have been his. I doubt any of the people advancing this argument have ever seen someone get shot. I haven't, but it's not hard to imagine that a body hit with multiple slugs might "jerk" around, and "fling" anything held in a hand.

Again, the investigation isn't over. It will be at some point soon. When it is, people can decided how they will react.

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About a year ago the police broke into his house and stole his gun... And they waited and waited and waited... You know how anxious these white cops are to kill a black man... It must have been an excruciating wait. Then finally they manufactured a reason to be near his vehicle by saying they were really there for someone else... Then In Cold Blood shot him dead... Then took his gun and smeared all this blood on it and left it by his body... Those Charlotte cops are diabolical.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

On TV this AM, the Chief of Police said the gun belonged to the victim. Another person on TV said it was normal to kick a gun away from a victim, so that the victim couldn't reach it and then kill either himself or others.

That's all I know at this time.

State of Emergency Declared in Charlotte

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