Charlotte’s District Attorney Andrew Murray announced on Wednesday morning that CMPD officer Brentley Vinson will not face any charges after shooting and killing Keith Lamont Scott back in September.
Murray remarked that the evidence he examined showed that:
– Scott stepped out of his vehicle with a gun in his hand.
– He ignored at least 10 commands to drop it.
– One bullet was found in the chamber of his gun, with the safety was off.
– Scott’s DNA was found on the grip and ammunition slide.
– Officer Vinson’s gun had four bullets missing.
– Guns from the other officers on the scene had not been fired.
Murray also remarked that he ran the evidence by 15 other veteran prosecutors and they all concurred with his recommendation that there was insufficient evidence to charge Officer Vinson in the case.
The full body cam and dash cam videos of the shooting can be watched here.
The initial shooting in September was followed by 2 days of rioting, and 7 more days of peaceful protesting on Old Concord Rd., and in Uptown Charlotte.
After the verdict was announced this morning, a local group called the “Charlotte Uprising” announced their intentions to protest around CMPD headquarters in Uptown Charlotte tonight at 6:45pm.
The City of Charlotte released the following statement:
“We recognize that for some members of our community, this news will be met with different reactions. No matter where you stand on the issue, the events surrounding the Scott shooting have forever changed our community, and we intend to learn from and build a stronger Charlotte because of it. The city is committed to continuing its work with the community to preserve safety, trust and accountability.”
The CMPD also released a statement where they detail the additional measures that will be put in place due to the tragic death of Keith Lamont Scott, including; more body cams, increased transparancy, and more 3rd party investigations.