The fatal police shooting of 43-year-old Black father Keith Lamont Scott has left the Charlotte, North Carolina community enraged and demanding answers. As we all continue to process the aftermath of the second police killing of a Black man this week, here are 10 things we know so far.
1. Keith Lamont Scott was in the process of picking his son up from school and was reportedly sitting in his car reading a book before his fatal encounter with police.
2. Police claim they opened fire on Scott because he was armed and “posing a threat.”
3. Several witnesses have denied police reports of Scott being armed at the time of the shooting.
4. Scott was a 43-year-old married father of seven children
5. Scott’s brother told reporters that the officer who shot and killed him was in plain clothes.
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6. Police were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting and claim the video footage will give an accurate account of the events leading up to Scott’s death.
7. Scott’s family has said that he was disabled.
8. The officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Scott has been identified as officer Brently Vinson of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg police department in Charlotte, NC.
9. Police say they were searching for a suspect when they encountered Scott, who they shave since confirmed was not the suspect in question.
10. Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts tweeted, “the community deserves answers” as protests erupted in Charlotte following Scott’s death.