Walter Scott shooting: Everything the police said prior to death video surfacing of black man's shooting by white officer Michael Slager

Police claimed Scott 'gained control' of the officer's stun gun

(New York Times)

A video (below) emerged yesterday of white North Charleston police officer Michael Slager at worst shooting unarmed, defenceless black man Walter Scott dead, and at very worst possibly then planting the Taser Scott apparently "gained control" of on the man's dead body.

It has resulted it Slager being very swiftly charged with murder, but had it not been shot and passed on to the New York Times, Slager might have gotten away scot free and Scott's reputation might have stayed tarnished forever.

Here's the police's version of events, as per The Post and Courier:

'Police in a matter of hours declared the occurrence at the corner of Remount and Craig roads a traffic stop gone wrong, alleging the dead man fought with an officer over his Taser before deadly force was employed.'

This is odd given the altercation took place in a park.

'A statement released by North Charleston police spokesman Spencer Pryor said a man ran on foot from the traffic stop and an officer deployed his department-issued Taser in an attempt to stop him.

That did not work, police said, and an altercation ensued as the men struggled over the device. Police allege that during the struggle the man gained control of the Taser and attempted to use it against the officer.

The officer then resorted to his service weapon and shot him, police alleged.'

In the video, it is not clear whether Scott "gained control of the device".

'Slager thinks he properly followed all procedures and policies before resorting to deadly force, lawyer David Aylor said in a statement.'

"When confronted, Officer Slager reached for his Taser — as trained by the department — and then a struggle ensued," Aylor said. "The driver tried to overpower Officer Slager in an effort to take his Taser."

Seconds later, the report added, he radioed that the suspect wrestled control of the device. Even with the Taser’s prongs deployed, the device can still be used as a stun gun to temporarily incapacitate someone.

Slager "felt threatened and reached for his department-issued firearm and fired his weapon," his attorney added.'

Scott was shot at eight times, hit five times, with three bullets lodging in his back and at least one entering his heart.