• $ 1.7
  • € 1.8582
  • ₽ 2.0804
  • ₺ 0.0463
  • £ 2.208

Witness says Walter Scott ‘just wanted to get away from the Taser’

Witness says Walter Scott ‘just wanted to get away from the Taser’
28.05.2020 22:59
(The Guardian) - Walter Scott and police officer Michael Slager were struggling on the ground in the seconds before Slager shot Scott dead, the man who recorded video footage of the killing in South Carolina said on Wednesday evening.

In his first public remarks since turning over cellphone recording that led to Slager being charged with Scott’s murder, Feidin Santana said Slager, 33, who may face the death penalty, "made a bad decision, and you pay for your decisions in this life.”

Santana said that as his video indicated, Scott was trying to escape a stun gun that Slager had fired into him when the North Charleston patrolman shot him repeatedly in the back.

"They were down on the floor before I started recording,” Santana told NBC Nightly News. "I remember the police had control of the situation. He had control of Scott, and Scott was trying just to get away from the Taser. You can hear the sound of the Taser ... before I started recording. I believe he just wanted to get away from the Taser.”

Slager initially told police that he shot Scott on Saturday morning because the 50-year-old "grabbed” the Taser after fleeing a tussle that followed his stop for a broken car light. Police told reporters in the following days that Scott had tried to use the Taser against the officer.

However, Santana’s video footage showed Slager shooting Scott eight times from behind as Scott ran away from the confrontation. It also appeared to show Slager returning to the site of the struggle and picking up an object from the ground – possibly the Taser – before walking back to Scott’s body and dropping it beside him.

"As you can see in the video, the police officer just shot him in the back,” Santana said on Wednesday evening. Santana said he filmed the footage after walking by the incident on his way to work.

Santana met Scott’s family and their legal team and turned over the footage. He said he and the Scott family were "very emotional” during their meeting. "I thought about his position and their situation,” said Santana. "If I would have a family member that happen, I would want to know the truth.”

The amateur cameraman said Slager’s murder charge was "not something that no one can feel happy about” but suggested it was ultimately the right decision.


Walter Scott: protesters demand justice – and an end to police discrimination
 Read more
"He has his family, Mr Scott also has his family,” said Santana. "But I think he made a bad decision, and you pay for your decisions in this life. Mr Scott didn’t deserve this, and there were other ways that can be used to get him arrested. And that wasn’t the proper way to do that.”


www.ann.az
Similar news
Similar news
Turkey to step up diplomatic push to reinstate Gaza ceasefire, Erdogan says
World 11:00
Turkey to step up diplomatic push to reinstate Gaza ceasefire, Erdogan says
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu arrested in corruption probe
World 10:30
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu arrested in corruption probe
Turkish University annuls Erdogan rival’s degree, blocking presidential bid
Political News 10:00
Turkish University annuls Erdogan rival’s degree, blocking presidential bid
Trump and Putin conclude call on moves to end Ukraine war
Political News 21:09
Trump and Putin conclude call on moves to end Ukraine war
Trump-Putin phone call ends, White House says
World 20:48
Trump-Putin phone call ends, White House says
France to deploy 40 nuclear-capable Rafale Jets at German border by 2032 – France 3
World 15:00
France to deploy 40 nuclear-capable Rafale Jets at German border by 2032 – France 3
Rugby-US men to host England in bumper summer of fixtures
Sport 14:21
Rugby-US men to host England in bumper summer of fixtures
Cotton steady as higher oil, grain prices provide support
Business 12:58
Cotton steady as higher oil, grain prices provide support
Ukraine's GDP up by 1.1% year-on-year in January-February, first deputy PM says
World 12:37
Ukraine's GDP up by 1.1% year-on-year in January-February, first deputy PM says
Anews TV

Our official Youtube channel

Subscribe