Charlotte police chief to let slain man’s family see video but not the public yet

The family of the man shot to death by Charlotte police this week will watch the video of the shooting Thursday, Mayor Jennifer Roberts says.

Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was killed Tuesday while police were serving a warrant at a University City apartment complex.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said Wednesday that his department will not broadly release any footage of the shooting that killed Keith Lamont Scott until its investigation is complete.

A new North Carolina law will soon prevent police agencies from releasing body camera footage to the public without a court order. But open government advocates and the ACLU urged police to release the video, noting that the new law doesn’t go into effect until Oct. 1.

Police officers say they saw Scott armed with a handgun when he exited his vehicle at a University City apartment complex Tuesday afternoon. But a woman who said she is Scott’s daughter claimed on a live-streamed video that Scott was unarmed when he was shot. The video went viral.

Brentley Vinson, the officer who opened fire, was not wearing a body camera, Putney said, but other officers on scene were wearing cameras. Vinson was reportedly wearing plain clothes and a clearly marked CMPD vest.

In the wake of violent protests in Charlotte on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-Charlotte, called for police to release the shooting video to the public.

“We need answers and we need justice, but neither will come through violence,” Adams said in a statement Thursday. “We must work together to ensure the process is swift, just and transparent. That begins with actions like releasing the video and calling for transparency, accountability and collaboration.”

U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, R-Charlotte, urged the public to allow time for a thorough investigation.

“We are all understandably interested in seeing the video, but we should be more interested in a thorough, accountable investigation and due process,” Pittenger said. “State law governs the release of the video. Our community will not benefit from trying this case on social media.”

Putney said a handgun was seized from the scene. And a photo released by a source close to the investigation appeared to show a gun next to Scott’s body.

But others, such as Scott’s family, have disputed information that he had a gun, saying that he was armed with nothing more than a book. However,

Scott’s wife, Rakeiya Scott, released a statement Wednesday night questioning statements put forward by law enforcement officials.

“After listening to remarks made by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Putney today, we have more questions than answers about Keith’s death. Rest assured, we will work diligently to get answers to our questions as quickly as possible.”

Rakeiya Scott also asked for peace.

“As a family, we respect the rights of those who wish to protest, but we ask that people protest peacefully. Please do not hurt people or members of law enforcement, damage property or take things that do not belong to you in the name of protesting,” the statement read.

This story was originally published September 22, 2016 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Charlotte police chief to let slain man’s family see video but not the public yet."