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Protests Prompt North Carolina
State of Emergency
Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina has declared a state of emergency in Charlotte, after violent protests erupted following the police shooting of a black man that left him dead and at least one person critically wounded.
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The protests began after police in Charlotte shot and killed 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott on Tuesday, whom they claimed was armed and a threat to their safety. However, eyewitnesses and several members of Scott’s family said the shooting was unprovoked since Scott has a disability and was merely holding a book while waiting for his son. Apparently, the officers were intending to serve an arrest warrant on another person, but confused Scott with the actual person they were looking for.
The Tuesday shooting sparked violent protests that injured more than 16 officers. Additional protests continued into Wednesday when yet another shooting occurred, prompting the North Carolina governor to issue a state of emergency.
The protests initially began rather quietly in downtown Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon, with chants of “Black lives matter,” and “No justice, no peace!” However, they quickly escalated when demonstrators moved into a central commercial area filled with luxury hotels and the Spectrum Center sports arena.
Crowds quickly grew near the Omni hotel, where agitated protestors knocked over potted plants in the hotel driveway. Some demonstrators even tried to storm the hotel. Looters also broke glass windows and ransacked the Charlotte Hornets store at Spectrum Arena, only a block away from the shooting. Both the Ritz-Carlton and Omni hotels shut down, with Ritz-Carlton employees barricading themselves inside with furniture in an attempt to block rioters.
By Wednesday night, police donned riot gear and took to the streets firing tear gas to halt protesters. The governor also threatened to deploy the National Guard and state troopers if the violence continued.
“Any violence directed toward our citizens or police officers or destruction of property should not be tolerated,” Gov. McCrory said in a statement. “I support and commend the law enforcement officials for their bravery and courage during this difficult situation.”
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The unidentified victim during Wednesday night’s melee is a civilian who was shot by another civilian. Originally, city officials announced that the person was dead, but later corrected the story to say the victim was in critical condition and on life support.
Mayor Jennifer Roberts pled with protesters to go home, promising that the city would conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the death of Scott.
“We are working very hard to bring peace and calm back to our city. We know that this is not who Charlotte is. This is not who we are,” Mayor Roberts said. “Violence is not the answer.”
On Wednesday, Scott’s wife, Rakeyia Scott, called for peace and said she has more “questions than answers” about the shooting death of her husband.
“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,” Mrs. Scott said in a statement.
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DJ: Mayor Jennifer Roberts pled with protesters to go home, promising that the city would conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the death of Scott. [….] Well, we shall see. What elected officials across this country had better recognize is that this madness – cops killing Unarmed Black men and mostly getting away with it – threatens the safety of ALL Americans. It.Must.Stop. That said. I do not believe in Violence-for-Violence. That is madness too, IMO. Yes. I am hurt about the killings. I am angry. And I am all for protesting police actions…but Peacefully. By all means we MUST demand greater accountability of law enforcement. We MUST demand Justice. But as one writer expressed: "riots aren’t peaceful protests. And blocking interstates and trapping people in their cars is not peaceful protest — it’s threatening and dangerous, especially against the background of people rioting, cops being injured, civilian-on-civilian shootings,… Read more »