Protests Continue in Charlotte Following Questionable Police Shooting

Protests broke out in Charlotte for the second night in a row, as demonstrators took to the streets to express their outrage over the police killing of a black man they say was holding a book, not a gun, as police have said.

While most of the protests were peaceful, with demonstrators marching and shouting “black lives matter,” and “hands up, don’t shoot!” However, according to reports, some demonstrators turned violent, with one person being shot by another civilian.

Protesters set fires and rushed police in riot gear at a downtown Charlotte hotel. Officers responded with tear gas and flash bangs to clear the crowd.

Several members of the media were attacked as well, including a CNN reporter, who was pushed to the ground on live television.

There have also been reports of looting near the Time Warner Cable Arena, which is home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.

The protests are the result of Tuesday’s police shooting of 40 year-old Keith L. Scott, who was shot and killed by a black plainclothes officer in a vest emblazoned with “Police.” Police say Scott was holding a gun and did not respond to their demands to drop the weapon.

However, Scott’s family said he was disabled and was holding a book. Protests erupted Tuesday after a woman, who appeared to be his daughter, posted a video on Facebook saying Scott was unarmed.

Community activists and protesters are calling for the release of the video of the incident to get clarification on what exactly happened.

In a statement, Rakeyia Scott, the wife of the victim, asked protesters to remain peaceful.

The Charlotte protests come on the heels of two other deadly police shootings – in Columbus, Ohio of 13 year-old Tyre King, who was holding a BB gun, and the shooting death of Terence Crutcher, who had his hands above his head before officers fired.

Watch live news coverage of Charlotte protests below.