In Scott Shooting, What Did Eyewitnesses Really See?

It goes without saying that everyone should wait until the facts about what actually happened in the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott are clear.  We can only hope that the eyewitnesses, particularly Taheshia Williams, who appears to be the only person claiming to have seen everything that transpired. is giving us the facts, and only the facts. Ms. Williams says that Scott got out of his truck and immediately raised his hands asking "What's the problem, what did I do? What did I do?"  And that Scott's book fell to the ground and he stepped over it while walking to the rear of his truck. She says that it was not a black officer that shot Scott, but a white, bald officer. She also claims that Scott died on the scene, not in transit to or at the hospital.  She also says that a black police officer administered CPR to Scott, not paramedics.

Ms. Williams' account is so radically different from that of the police that if what she has said is truthful, then the trust level in American law enforcement will sink to incredible lows, across the board, including across racial lines. If on the other hand, she is not telling the truth, the way Michael Brown's friend in Ferguson was not telling the truth when he told a boldfaced lie that Brown complied with the officer by raising his hands and pleaded "Hands up, don't shoot", then she should be arrested for giving a false account to police and for inciting a riot and any other charges that can be levied against her. If it's found that the police account is untrue, then mechanisms are in place to deal with them including loss of job, loss of freedom and civil penalties.

But we've seen before an entire city nearly destroyed based on an eyewitness's account that was never challenged.  Lest anyone forgets, there were five black women in Ferguson, who said from the very beginning that they saw Michael Brown attack the officer.  Yet, the only witness that the media paid any attention to was Brown's friend and cohort.  Chief Putney has stated that there were eyewitnesses that saw the incident, just as Ms. Williams claims to have done.  But Putney says these witnesses have given the same account as have the officers.  Time will tell.

So to re-cap...

The fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott has sparked angry protests and looting.  At this point, there are conflicting reports regarding the chain of events that led to Scott's death.  According to two members of Scott's family and one eyewitness who claims to have seen the incident unfold from the balcony of her apartment, Scott was sitting in his vehicle reading a book while waiting for his son's school bus when police approached him and "said something to him", before firing four shots and fatally wounding Scott.  Scott's family insists that he did not own a gun and could not have been holding one. They say that Scott was an avid reader and was instead holding a book.

The police tell a very different story.  According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney, four officers went to the apartment complex, where Scott was parked in the lot, to serve a warrant to another man. Chief Putney says as officers were approaching the complex, they saw Scott get out of his car holding a handgun, he then got back into his car.  Putney says the officers approached Scott's car and gave "loud, clear, verbal commands which were heard by several witnesses".  According to Chief Putney, Scott again exited his vehicle, still holding his gun.  The officers allegedly continued to yell orders for Scott to drop his weapon.  With Scott refusing to comply with the repeated orders, the officers believed that he was a threat.  Officer Brentley Vinson, then fired his weapon, hitting Scott. Vinson was in plain clothes, but wearing a badge.  According to Chief Putney and several eyewitnesses, the officers immediately called paramedics and began administering CPR. Putney says that detectives arrived to investigate the scene and recovered a weapon in "very close proximity to the subject".  Scott died of his injuries while being transported to the hospital. Officer Vinson has been placed on administrative duties.

Relatives say that Scott was a married, father of seven, who was severely injured in a motorcycle accident last year that left him with two broken hips, requiring him to use a cane.  For most of the last year, Scott worked as a security guard at a nearby mall. Neighbors say Scott had recently moved his family into the complex to stay with relatives and they had "gotten to know him quickly".  One neighbor said he "walked through the neighborhood daily with a cane and a book in his hand". Scott's niece, Nayshondra Mercer told a reporter that her uncle did not have a problem with police, and in fact had a working relationship with them. In the video, Mercer also says that she cannot condone the violence happening in Charlotte, but understands.

As for Officer Vinson, the 26-year-old has been on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police force for two years. According to published reports, a review of court records did not turn up any infractions against Officer Vinson. Several friends of Vinson's and his high school football coach said that Vinson had wanted to become a police officer since he was a young child.  His father Alex retired from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police force.  According to an article published in the Charlotte Observer, Vinson played a prep season at Fork Union Military College and was awarded a scholarship to Liberty University where he majored in criminal justice and became a team captain at defensive back.

In other published reports, Vinson is described by several friends and former coaches as a "standup guy" and "someone that's always willing to help". According to Adam Hastings, Vinson's former high school coach, "he's a natural leader who always puts the best interests of others first.  We need more Brett Vinsons, that type of person in our community", said Hastings.

I'm not going to waste much time or energy talking about the so-called protestors in Charlotte.  There are some legitimate protestors out there for sure, but they leave early, choosing not to stay around for the mob action.  They are people engaging in their right to protest peacefully and wait patiently for all of the facts. But the group that's out late, rioting, looting and attacking police is comprised of 1) hoodlums - those looking to freely engage in criminal actively 2) empty-headed followers - those who don't have a mind of their own, but follow anyone that appeals to them emotionally 3) the wannabe leaders - those who are so desirous of name recognition and power they're willing to brave all manner of tear gas, bottles, chairs, etc., just to have an opportunity to get on television to make thoughtless demands and empty promises and 4) the paid agitators - these are the professionals anarchists, they are paid to agitate and encourage destruction of property.  They work hard to give the appearance that they are fighting for social justice, when in truth, they're fighting for social disorder and society's breakdown. Interestingly, out of all the coverage I've watched, I've only heard one person ask about the paid agitators.  Which is a shame because whether it's Baltimore, Ferguson or Chicago, they'll be there to stoke the flames of violence and to continue to drive a wedge between police and citizens, blacks and whites, or any way they can.

Thankfully, the majority of citizens, even if they're unable to reserve judgment until all the facts are known, don't see violence and looting as a legitimate form of protest.