A police officer was charged with murder on Tuesday after he shot and killed a black motorist during a traffic stop in South Carolina. The shooting occurred on Saturday morning after officer Michael Slager, 33, stopped Walter Scott for a broken brake light, the police said.
A video of the shooting released to the media shows Slager shooting at Scott’s back eight times while he is running away.
It then shows Slager slowly walking toward him, and placing him in handcuffs even though Scott is unresponsive.
Authorities say that Scott was shot after the office had already hit him with a stun gun. Slager told officers that Scott had taken his stun gun and that he 'feared for his life'.
"I can tell you that as a result of that video and the bad decision made by our officer he will be charged with murder and that's not something that we like to hear," Mayor R. Keith Summey told media persons.
A murder conviction in the state could lead to the death penalty or up to 30 years to life in prison, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Image: A screen grab of the video.
