Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Police shot and killed a man carrying a gun Tuesday afternoon at a Charlotte apartment complex, officials said.
Officers responded to an apartment complex to look for a man with warrants. They saw him get out a car with a gun and then get back in. When officers approached the car, the man got out of the car with the gun again. At that point, officers deemed the man a threat and fired one round at the suspect.
The man, identified as 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott, was taken to Carolinas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Detectives recovered a firearm at the scene and were interviewing witnesses.
Police in riot gear responded back to the apartment and stretched across a two-lane road confronting protesters.
An officer later sustained non life-threatening injuries in an attempt to deescalate agitators during the demonstration. At approximately 11 pm, tear gas has been used on the crowd and the protest is on going.
Officer Brentley Vinson was the officer involved in the shooting, department spokeswoman Cindy Wallace said in a new release. Vinson, who has been with the department for two years, has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in such cases.
The suspect’s race and Vinson’s race have not been released.