Protesters gather in Charlotte after officer shoots man
CHARLOTTE -- Protesters gathered in Charlotte on Old Concord Road clashed with police in riot gear in a tense scene Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning after police shot and killed a person carrying a gun Tuesday afternoon at a Charlotte apartment complex, officials said.
Several Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were injured as police attempted to deescalate agitators during the demonstration. Riot police deployed tear gas into the crowd.
Protesters threw numerous objects, including water bottles, at police officers. One protester was treated for minor injuries.
Protesters targeted police cruisers late Tuesday. One cruiser was towed away.
WATCH: Agitators vandalize Charlotte police vehicle
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts tweeted late Tuesday evening: "I will continue to work with our manager & Chief on officer involved shooting. We are reaching out to community to ask for calm.
The community deserves answers and full investigation will ensue. Will be reaching out to community leaders to work together"
At one point, protesters began a chant of "black lives matter." The man fatally shot by police was black, as is the officer involved in the shooting.
The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Brentley Vinson. As is standard procedure with any officer-involved shooting, Vinson was placed on paid administrative leave. Vinson has been employed with the CMPD since July 21, 2014, and is assigned to the Metro Division.
The man fatally shot was identified as Keith Lamont Scott. His family has been notified of his death.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were at the complex about 4 p.m. looking for a suspect with an outstanding warrant when they encountered the person - not the suspect they were looking for - inside a car, the department said in a statement.
The person exited the car with a gun, and then got back in, the statement said. When officers approached the car, the person got out of the car with the gun again.
At that point, officers considered the person a threat and fired their weapons. Police Chief Kerr Putney told reporters at the scene that at least one officer shot the person.
Detectives recovered the firearm he had been holding.
Detectives were interviewing witnesses, police said.
The person was taken to Carolinas Medical Center and later pronounced dead.
People at the scene who said they were relatives of the dead man said Scott, a father of seven, was reading a book and did not have a gun. Police said they recovered a gun at the scene.
At least 100 protesters gathered to demonstrate the shooting Tuesday night. Police blocked access to the area, which is about a mile from the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
