By Gabriel Princewill-
Police in Charlotte have now released two videos late on Saturday, of the shooting of Keith Lamond Scott, whose killing rocked America and led to a riot, in the wake of a spate of other killings of black men in America in the last few years.
This case is more complex, with several parts of the puzzle still missing or vague among a litany of information about what transpired.
Among other details in a statement given by police, Chief Kerr Putney said:
“It was not lawful for [Scott] to possess a firearm. There was a crime he committed and the gun exacerbated the situation,” Putney said. Precisely what crime Scott committed to lead up to all this has not been disclosed, but that information will surely be pressed for in the days to come.
Police chief say they were in a parking lot in northeast Charlotte looking for a criminal suspect when they noticed him with marijuana. Officers are said to have overlooked the marijuana, but decided to engage police when they saw a gun and engaged with Scott.
VIDEO
The dead man’s wife first released a video of the killing, in which Scott’s wife is seen negotiating with cops and persuading them not to shoot her husband.
Charlotte Police later released their own dash-cam video- similar to that of the wife- in which officers are seen yelling at Scott who is sitting in his parked white car. They are heard yelling “drop the gun!” as his wife pleads in the background with police not to shoot.
His wife tells police that her husband is not going to harm them, pointing out that he suffers from TBI (traumatic brain injury) and has just taken his medicine. That information should have sufficed for police to err on the side of caution and give him a chance.
AWARENESS
Cops may or may not conceivably have been aware what TBI was, but may have imagined that it may be a condition that impairs the thought process enough to cause the man to shoot.
Subsequently, Scott’s wife is heard saying ”get out the car, don’t let them smash the window”. Then she says ” don’t do it, don’t you dare”! This could have alarmed police and caused them to shoot to protect their lives.
This perspective gives the police the benefit of the doubt. Viewed from another vantage point, police could have elected to shoot the man in his legs, as specialized marksmen. Any gun man would be incapacitated in the process. Could it be that the police lack adequate training for complex circumstances like this?
The prevalence of police killings of black men urgently needs redress. However, there are other lessons to be learnt here too. A man with TBI, whose judgment is impaired, should in principle not be out of the house.
Sounds harsh, but given the unpredictable nature of police in America, all people should be alert and wise in their response when dealing with police. The lack of this required level of due care does not excuse police indiscretion, but citizens must play their part to stay as safe as possible.
ADMISSION
Cops have admitted that their dash camera does not show late Scott pointing a gun at officers, but previous video footage seems to show a white police officer passing the gun to the black officer, with a slight of hand, to the black officer, who subtly receives the gun with his left arm before appearing to wipe something off and deposit it on the floor close to the dead man’s side.
DODGY
That scene in Charlotte looks dodgy on the part of police, and smacks of corruption. Their only saving grace is if the gun had been taking from the car and the police attempted to set the evidence up. All is conjecture in this tragic event that once again accentuates the tension between the black community in America and the police.
Police have said there will be no disciplinary action, but a public inquiry is necessary in this case for the sake of transparency and public confidence in the system.
All the cops involved in this case will give a detailed written account of the events that culminated in this open execution-style killing, but what is needed is a sober, objective evaluation of what occurred, with progressive measures for the future in sight.
Chief Kerr Putney stated at a news conference that the videos along with photos “explain what I believe are the absolute facts,” Chief Kerr Putney said at a news conference.
The police chief called Scott’s shooting a “complex case” and said his death was a “tragic loss of life.” Indicating that the police Department’s understanding of events is based upon multiple pieces of evidence — DNA, witness interviews and the videos are inconclusive, Chief Putney added:
“There is no single piece of evidence that proves all the complexities involved in this investigative process,” he said.
That’s deeply unfortunate, but close scrutiny and interrogation of the officers might be the nearest we can get to the truth. The man who knows the complete truth is not here to tell his story.