CAUTION. THIS IS RAW FOOTAGE AND VERY GRAPHIC.
A white police officer in South Carolina has been charged with murder after shooting an unarmed black man in the back.
Video taken by a bystander and provided to the New York Times by an attorney, shows Officer Michael Slager, 33, tussling with Walter L. Scott, 50, following a traffic stop on Saturday.
Officer Slager stopped a Mercedes Benz with a broken taillight, according to a police report obtained by the Charlotte Observer. Mr. Scott jumped from the vehicle and ran. The officer pursued the fleeing man into a grassy field behind a muffler shop.
The video starts as Mr. Scott was apparently tasered by Officer Slager. Wires from the stun gun can be seen dangling from Mr. Scott as he turned and ran.
Officer Slager drew his service weapon and fired 8 times. Mr. Scott was about 20 feet away from Officer Slager when he fell to the ground after the 8th shot.
The video shows Slager walk toward the spot where Scott fell. As he walked, he reported on his police radio, “Shots fired and the subject is down. He took my Taser.”
Sorry, Michael Slager. You’re not running from this one.
