Protests Turn Violent After Fatal Police Shooting In Charlotte
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The streets in Charlotte, North Carolina, are quite Wednesday morning after angry protests over the fatal police shooting of a black man left officers injured and shut down an interstate.
Traffic is flowing again on Interstate 85, hours after protesters blocked the highway and television footage showed some apparently looting semi-trucks and setting their contents on fire.
No protesters could be seen around 5 a.m. but broken glass and rocks littered the ground where a police car had been vandalized during protests earlier. Less than 5 miles away, wooden pallets barricaded the entrance to a Wal-Mart that had apparently been looted.
BEFORE/AFTER: Scene of SWAT at N. Tryon Walmart after protestors broke glass doors. Pallets in front now. #WatchWBTV #KeithLamontScott pic.twitter.com/ONefjsgYlq
— Christine Sperow FOX 5 (@ChristineOnTV) September 21, 2016
The man's family disputes the police account, reports CBS Charlotte affiliate WBTV.
At left, Keith Lamont Scott...man killed by officer. On the right, Officer Brentley Vinson. #WatchWBTV for more. pic.twitter.com/4BrXsApDV4
— John Carter WBTV (@JohnCarterWBTV) September 21, 2016
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department tweeted that demonstrators were destroying marked police vehicles and that approximately 12 officers had been injured, including one who was hit in the face with a rock. WBTV said 7 officers and a civilian were brought to an area hospital.
Water bottles were also thrown. Television coverage showed police firing tear gas to break up the crowd. Arrests were kept to a minimum, the station said.