Charlotte protesters rally near game
Scores gather Sunday outside NFL stadium in support of Scott
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nightly protests have shaken the city of Charlotte since the shooting death of a black man by police last week, but Sunday’s NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Minnesota Vikings managed to open without interruption.
A group of around 100 demonstrators gathered across the street from Bank of America Stadium to keep up the pressure in the aftermath of the death of Keith Lamont Scott. The 43-yearold man was shot and killed Tuesday after a confrontation with Charlotte police. Five nights of protests followed, two of them violent.
On Sunday, protesters led by a man with a bullhorn across the street from Bank of America Stadium were surrounded by at least two dozen police officers on bicycles. Their message competed with the noise of fans streaming toward the stadium and an impromptu jazz band playing tunes less than a block away.
When the national anthem was played, the protesters all dropped to one knee as many NFL players have been doing for weeks to call attention to issues, including police shootings. Inside the stadium, Carolina safety Marcus Ball raised his fist during the anthem.
Video released Saturday by police of the incident hasn’t settled questions about whether Scott threatened authorities with a gun before he was felled by a black officer.
Police Chief Kerr Putney said that Scott was “absolutely in possession of a handgun,” adding that, while officers didn’t break the law, the State Bureau of Investigation continues to pursue the case.
While police say Scott had a gun, residents contend he was unarmed. It’s not apparent in the video if he’s holding anything shortly before he was shot. The dramatic video released by Charlotte police shows officers with guns drawn surrounding the man just before the shooting.
Police also released photos on Saturday of what they said was a loaded handgun found at the scene, adding it bore Scott’s DNA and fingerprints. They also said Scott had marijuana.
In the police vehicle dashboard camera video released Saturday night, Scott could be seen slowly backing away from his SUV with his hands down. Four shots are heard in quick succession, and he crumples to the ground mortally wounded.