Debates surrounding police brutality and race have been reignited in America after policeman charged with murder for shooting an unarmed black man.
Trigger warning: This post features explicit details of homicide that could be distressing for some readers.
The video says it all.
A police officer with a gun. An unarmed man running for his life.
The footage, captured by an bystander, appears to show police officer Michael Slager, 33, shooting the back of Walter Scott, 50, at least eight times as he tried to run away.
(Mamamia has chosen not to publish the footage.)
Michael Slager is white. His victim Walter Scott, who was originally pulled over for having a broken brake light, is black.
Slager has since been charged with murder.
The North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said authorities decided to charge Slager, after viewing a video of the incident, Reuters reports.
Officer Slager originally told fellow officers he feared for his life because Slager took his stun gun.
However, the footage shows the victim is unarmed and is running away as Slager shoots him in the back. It also suggests the officer drops something near the body of the victim, possibly that same stun gun.
Top Comments
Yep its excessive, but how did they end up in the park and why was he grabbing at a police officers belt after a traffic stop for a tail light?
Of course he used excessive force. I can't believe the question even needs to be asked.
The question I would be asking is whether or not Slager will receive appropriate punishment for his crime. I'm unfortunately not at all confident that he will. :\