Body camera use questioned in fatal shootings in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The fatal shooting of a black man by a police officer in Charlotte is only the latest shooting to raise questions about how the department uses body cameras. Six people were fatally shot since body cameras were given to all patrol officers about a year ago. But the officers who fired the fatal shots in five of those cases — including Keith Lamont Scott’s — weren’t using the cameras. The weekend release of police footage showing the shooting of Scott left questions in many people’s minds — including whether he was holding a gun. The footage includes body camera video from another officer, but not the black officer who fatally wounded Scott. Scott’s family and advocacy groups complain the department divulged only about three minutes of footage from two cameras. The have urged the police department to release all other video footage it has, as well as audio recordings of communications that could clarify how the situation unfolded. A media coalition is also requesting more footage. Police Chief Kerr Putney has said the officer who shot Scott wasn’t wearing a body camera that day because he’s part of a tactical unit. ``Our tactical units don’t all have body-worn cameras at this point,’’ Putney told reporters on Saturday, adding they are to receive them in the future. He said was previously reluctant to make officers in high-risk operations wear cameras showing tactics and locations.