A South Carolina police officer has been charged with murder following the release of a graphic video, which appears to show the officer fatally shooting a black man in the back as he runs away.
A bystander filmed the four-minute long video, published by the New York Times Tuesday night after it was provided to the outlet by the slain man's lawyer. It shows the run-in between the officer, Michael T. Slager, and Walter L. Scott, who was stopped for a broken tail light.
The New York Times reports:
The shooting unfolded after Officer Slager stopped a Mercedes-Benz with a broken taillight, according to police reports. The driver, Walter L. Scott, 50, ran away, and Officer Slager chased him into a grassy lot that abuts a muffler shop. He fired his Taser, an electronic stun gun, but it did not stop Mr. Scott, according to police reports.
Moments later, Officer Slager reported on his radio, "Shots fired and the subject is down. He took my Taser," according to police reports.
However, the video shows a different scene:
While police reports indicate that Slager said Scott took his Taser, the video appears to show something different: "Something — it is not clear whether it is the stun gun — is either tossed or knocked to the ground behind the two men and Officer Slager draws his gun, the video shows," the New York Times reports.
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