CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The latest on unrest in Charlotte following the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott by police. Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts has lifted the city-wide curfew.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos of deadly encounter between CMPD officer, Keith Scott released
- STORY: New video released shows deadly Charlotte police encounter
- SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES: Protests turn violent after deadly officer-involved shooting
- STORY: Keith Scott's fingerprints, DNA, blood found on gun, police sources say
- STORY: CMPD arrests suspect in shooting death during uptown protests
- STORY: Activists, community members spread the love during uptown protests
- STORY: Little boy gives free hugs and donuts to officers in Charlotte
- STORY: Threat of violence forces cancellation of events in uptown
- PHOTOS: Protesters march in Charlotte for fourth night
- STORY: Clinton, Trump no longer making trips to Charlotte following mayor's request
11:15 p.m.: CMPD confirmed several protesters were arrested Monday night. No further information has been released.
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6:15 p.m.: Keith Scott's wife filed a domestic violence protective order on him in 2015 saying he hit his child, kicked her and threatened to kill them with his gun.
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6:00 p.m.: The gun that Keith Scott had on him during the deadly shooting was reported stolen after a breaking and entering, police said.
The breaking and entering suspect told ATF Agents that he sold the gun to Scott.
The suspect is in custody.
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8:30 a.m.: Some protesters said they will attend a Charlotte City Council meeting and call for the resignation of the mayor and police chief after the shooting of a black man by a black police officer last week.
Protesters said they will attend the 6:30 p.m meeting Monday.
The protesters said they are unhappy with how Mayor Jennifer Roberts and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney have handled the investigation of the shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott on Sept. 20.
Police say Scott was a threat and refused to drop a gun despite repeated commands. Family members have said Scott did not have a gun. Police released both a body-camera and dashboard camera video on Saturday but the video does not clearly show if Scott had anything in his hand.
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3 a.m.: Charlotte lifted its midnight curfew, a sign of the possible calming of the unrest that's gripped North Carolina's largest city since the shooting death of a black man by police last week.
A weekend without street violence was highlighted with the city hosting the NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Protests continued for a sixth day since 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott was shot and killed Tuesday after a confrontation with Charlotte police. The first two nights were violent, with more than a dozen police officers injured.
Protesters tried to block traffic on Interstate 277 through the city's downtown Sunday night. Authorities said one protester was struck by a police all-terrain vehicle, but 26-year-old Donnell Jones of Missouri wasn't hurt. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
SUNDAY:
7:30 p.m.: City of Charlotte lifts its curfew, effective immediately. Mayor Roberts says that she continues to urge the community to come together and show their unity in a peaceful and legal manner.
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5:30 p.m.: Protestors congregated near I-277 and E. Fourth Street when they got onto I-277 and impeded traffic flow. As officers approached, the protestors began to run. While running away from officers, protester Donnell Jones tripped and fell in front of an ATV being operated by an officer from the Greensboro Police Department. The officer collided with Jones and struck his arm. Jones was not injured. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resist, obstruct and delay.
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1 p.m.: Two separate groups protested peacefully outside the Bank of America Stadium ahead of the Panthers game. A group kneeled during the national anthem and later chanted "Keith Scott." Some protesters walked to Romare Bearden Park where police in riot gear were lined up.
SATURDAY:
CLICK TO WATCH: CMPD Chief Putney addresses the press Saturday afternoon:
8:30 p.m.: An attorney for the family of Keith Scott says newly released footage from authorities doesn't show a gun in the man's hand.
Justin Bamberg told reporters on Saturday night that the dashcam and body camera footage released on Saturday leaves more questions unanswered than it provides clarity. He also said that Scott's delay in getting out of his vehicle doesn't justify his death.
Protesters have been clamoring for the videos since the shooting of Scott by police. Officers have said Scott had a gun, according to a police statement. Authorities on Saturday released photographs of a handgun and a holster they said was recovered from the scene.
Ray Dotch identified himself as Scott's brother-in-law. He objected to reporters' questions about Scott's background, saying he shouldn't have to "humanize in order for him to be treated fairly."
"What we know and what you should know about him is that he was an American citizen who deserved better," he added.
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8:20 p.m.: Channel 9 was with several hundred protesters as they marched the streets of uptown Charlotte Saturday afternoon. The group called for CMPD to release footage of the shooting of Keith Scott. They also demanded the state of emergency end and the National Guard withdraw from Charlotte.
The group stopped at CMPD Headquarters and shouted for the release of the footage around 2 p.m.
Later in the day, CMPD Chief Kerr Putney announced he would release a portion of the footage that would give the public a visual of what transpired on Tuesday.
Protestors were disappointed though, saying all of the video should be released.
"Shouldn't the public be entitled to see the whole thing?” asked Gideon Elvenstar.
Protesters vowed to march the streets of Charlotte until their demands are met. They said they’d also march Sunday from Johnson C. Smith University to Bank of America Stadium before the Panthers game.
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7:57 p.m.: Statement by Mayor Jennifer Roberts regarding the release to the public of body and dash cam videos:
"I fully support the videos being released to the public. I have been calling for the release of the videos as soon as possible and now that the family has viewed it on Thursday afternoon and interviews with witnesses are complete, releasing it to the public is the right thing to do to ensure transparency and accountability.
"I want the citizens of Charlotte to view the video to see the incident for themselves. Transparency and accountability are critical in this process. The SBI continues to be in charge of the investigation. I have been in conversations with the US Attorney, and have asked the Department of Justice to be available to address any potential civil rights concerns."
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7:30 p.m.: CMPD has released a narrative of what they say happened in the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of Keith Scott.
The department said in an update released late Saturday that says two plainclothes officers were preparing to arrest someone else when they saw Scott sitting in an SUV, rolling a marijuana blunt.
IMAGES: Evidence obtained in Keith Scott case
Officers say they weren't concerned about the drugs until they noticed that Scott had a gun with him, according to police. But after an officer "observed Mr. Scott hold a gun up," police put on marked vests to identify themselves as officers, police added.
The officers say they identified themselves as police and gave Scott orders to drop the gun, which he refused. A uniformed officer tried to use a baton to break out a window on Scott's SUV, the narrative states.
Police say the man got out of the SUV, with the gun, and backed away while ignoring the demands to drop it.
Perceiving Scott's actions as an "imminent physical threat," Officer Brentley Vinson fired his weapon at Scott, according to the statement. Both Vinson and Scott are black.
Police say detectives interviewed witnesses, who confirmed that Scott hadn't complied with officers' demands.
The report also says forensic examination shows Scott's DNA and fingerprints on the loaded gun retrieved from the scene and that Scott was wearing an ankle holster.
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7 p.m.: Newly released police footage shows more details of how the fatal shooting of Keith Scott unfolded.
Dashboard camera video shows two officers pointing their guns at Scott, who is inside an SUV with the doors closed and windows rolled up.
Scott gets out, starts walking backward, and then four shots ring out. His wife's voice is audible as she yells both at him and at officers. It's unclear if there's anything in Scott's hands.
From a different angle, police body camera footage shows an officer approach with his gun drawn and another officer already pointing his gun at Scott.
When Scott comes into view, he has his hands at his side and is standing outside of his car. The body camera footage doesn't show the moment the shots are fired, and Scott next comes into view already on the ground.
Audio in the body camera footage can't be heard until after Scott is on the ground.
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6:50 p.m.: CMPD has released the dashcam and the body camera video. A file sent to the media Saturday also includes pictures of a handgun and marijuana that police say Keith Scott possessed.
Below is the body camera footage (GRAPHIC WARNING):
Below is the video footage from the dashcam:
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6 p.m.: Attorneys for the family of Keith Scott will address media tonight at 6:30 p.m.
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5:40 p.m.: Congresswoman Alma Adams released the following statement about the release of the videos:
"I continue to believe that we need greater transparency, accountability, collaboration and cooperation. As I expressed earlier in my letter to Chief Putney, law enforcement should release the official video. I am relieved to learn they will this afternoon. We all deserve the truth, justice and a way forward so that we can heal and become an example of a city that emerges stronger and safer because we chose to address our problems-even after all the television cameras have gone."
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5:05 p.m.: Charlotte's police chief said officers were trying to serve a warrant on someone else but then spotted the man they ultimately shot and killed.
Chief Kerr Putney told reporters that officers saw marijuana and a weapon in Keith Lamont Scott's car and said, "this is a safety issue for us and the public."
Putney is releasing dashcam and body cam video on Saturday to the public.
Police have said Scott was shot on Tuesday because he refused commands to drop a handgun. Residents have said he was unarmed. Putney says Scott "absolutely" had a gun but that it's not shown in his hand in the videos.
Community activists have been for days calling on Putney to release body cam and dashcam video of the shooting. Putney has said he wants to be transparent but also won't compromise his investigation.
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4:50 p.m.: Chief Kerr Putney said Keith Scott was "absolutely in possession of a handgun." He also said Scott was in possession of marijuana. Putney said the marijuana heightened the officer's awareness to Scott and that the gun took all of their attention.
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4:45 p.m.: CMPD Chief Putney addressed the press Saturday afternoon before releasing the footage of the deadly encounter between one of his officers and Keith Scott.
The chief said, "We're at a stage that I can release the information without impacting the investigation."
Putney said the department would make public the dash cam footage and the body cam footage, saying there was more video but that these two pieces of video shows the actual incident.
"There's no single piece of evidence that proves all the complexities involved in investigative process," Putney said.
Putney went on to say that he would also release physical evidence, like DNA evidence.
The chief said that the video will provide indisputable evidence that backs up the facts that police released earlier this week.
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4:35 p.m.: Governor Pat McCrory agrees with the decision to release the video.
"As governor of North Carolina, I concur with the Charlotte police chief's decision to release the tapes. I have been assured by the State Bureau of Investigation that the release will have no material impact on the independent investigation since most of the known witnesses have been interviewed. We have appreciated the ongoing dialogue and team work between state and city officials to seek public transparency while protecting the integrity of the investigation and the rights of all parties involved in this case."
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4:30 p.m.: Protesters confirm they will march to Bank of America Stadium Sunday before the Panther game.
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4 p.m.: CMPD Chief Kerr Putney will release a statement to the media at 4:30 p.m. about the officer-involved shooting of Keith Scott.
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3:45 p.m.: The president of the North Carolina NAACP says federal authorities are investigating the police shooting of a black man in Charlotte. But the U.S. Justice Department told The Associated Press on Saturday that it has not opened a probe into the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott.
At a rally Saturday afternoon, the Rev. Corine Mack said an official investigation was underway into the shooting, which happened earlier this week.
Later Saturday, the Justice Department reiterated comments made Thursday by Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who said the department was continuing the monitor the case.
Police say Scott refused repeated commands to drop a gun. The department has not released body camera and dashcam footage.
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3 p.m.: Hundreds of demonstrators in Charlotte have taken their protest to the police department.
Many of the hundreds who gathered Saturday afternoon chanted "Keith Scott," the name of the black man shot to death earlier this week by police.
Protesters had gathered earlier in the day, marching through the streets of a city on edge after Scott's shooting death. The demonstrations reached a violent crescendo on Wednesday before the National Guard was called in Thursday to maintain order.
The next two nights of protests were free of property damage and violence, with organizers stressing a message of peace at the end of the week.
Many demonstrators have demanded police release body camera and dashcam video of Scott's shooting. On Saturday, the crowd chanted, "No tapes, no peace."
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2:40 p.m.: Sources confirm that the police video of the deadly encounter between a CMPD officer and Keith Scott is expected to be released Saturday.
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2 p.m.: Marshall Park protest organizers announced that the NAACP said CMPD will release the video of the deadly encounter between a CMPD officer and Keith Scott on Saturday. Reporter Tina Terry said that the announcement was met with applause.
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12:20 p.m.: CMPD said 11 people were arrested overnight during the protests. Nine people were charged with breaking curfew and two others were charged with breaking and entering, larceny, felony conspiracy and injury to property.
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Noon: Charlotte mayor Jennifer Roberts said pastors and community leaders will meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Government Center. She said they will act as "advocates for peace."
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1 a.m.: Protesters seem to be peacefully dispersing, CMPD tweeted. There were no arrests, no gas deployed, no injuries and no property damage were reported.
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12:05 a.m.: Hundreds remain on the streets of uptown after the midnight curfew. The protests have been peaceful.
Officers have discretion in enforcing curfew, CMPD tweeted. They can issue a warning, citation or arrest. They also can choose not to enforce the curfew.
Friday
11:50 p.m.: 47 people have been arrested since Tuesday, 37 of them are from Charlotte, CMPD said.
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11:30 p.m.: Hundreds of peaceful protesters remain on the streets of uptown Charlotte. The curfew goes into effect at midnight.
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10:15 p.m. Friday night's protests have remained peaceful
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10:10 p.m.: One demonstrator was treated for heat exhaustion at the scene, MEDIC said.
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9:50 p.m.: "Regarding the video of the event captured by CMPD cameras, CMPD remains the custodian of the original recording and as such has the legal authority to release it," SBI officials said. "It is understood discussions are actively underway between local officials regarding the release of that video."
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9:40 p.m.: Hillary Clinton decided to postpone Sunday's trip to Charlotte so her visit will not impact the city's resources.
Statement from Hillary Clinton communications:
“Hillary is grateful for, and intends to honor, the invitation from faith leaders to visit with the Charlotte community.
After further discussion with community leaders, we have decided to postpone Sunday's trip as to not impact the City's resources.
She will plan to visit Charlotte next Sunday, provided circumstances allow. In the meantime her prayers are with the people of Charlotte during these difficult days.”
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RELATED ARTICLE:
- STORY: New video released shows deadly Charlotte police encounter
- SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES: Protests turn violent after deadly officer-involved shooting
- STORY: Keith Scott's fingerprints, DNA, blood found on gun, police sources say
- STORY: CMPD arrests suspect in shooting death during uptown protests
- STORY: Activists, community members spread the love during uptown protests
- STORY: Little boy gives free hugs and donuts to officers in Charlotte
- STORY: Threat of violence forces cancellation of events in uptown
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9:05 p.m.: Protesters moved onto I-277 for about 10 minutes. Authorities shut down the highway anticipating the march, reporter Paul Boyd reported.
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8:40 p.m.: Mayor Jennifer Roberts speaks with National Guardsmen outside CMPD.
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8:10 p.m.: Peaceful demonstrators march uptown.
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7:10 p.m.: Mayor Jennifer Roberts encourages Hillary Clinton to delay her trip to Charlotte Sunday so the city can get back to normalcy. Roberts also said Donald Trump was planning a visit to the Queen City later next week.
City resources are already spread thin, she told CNN.
Roberts said she appreciates the presidential candidates' support.
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6:45 p.m.: Aloft hotel officials in EpiCentre uptown said they are moving guests to another site in interest of safety.
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5:25 p.m.: Statement from Keith Lamont Scott family attorneys
“Today's decision to release cellphone video of the moments before Keith Lamont Scott was shot and killed was made by the Scott family in the name of truth and transparency.
The family is still hopeful that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and city of Charlotte will release all available video of the incident to the public so that people can draw their own conclusions about Keith's death.
We encourage everyone to reserve judgment until all the facts are known. This is simply one step in our quest to find the truth for this family.
We thank those in the community who have supported the Scott family during this difficult time, and we again ask for peace in Charlotte as we continue to learn more about the tragic events that unfolded Sept. 20."
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5 p.m.: The gun recovered from the scene of the Charlotte police shooting was loaded, CMPD sources told Channel 9.
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4:30 p.m.: Hillary Clinton will be in Charlotte Sunday calling for the release of the police video in connection with the killing of Keith Lamont Scott. More details to come.
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2:59 p.m.: Governor Pat McCrory provided an update Friday afternoon on the unrest in Charlotte.
The governor became emotional when speaking about how well protesters, the National Guard and local police in Charlotte did Thursday night to keep protests peaceful.
"What the National Guard did last night, people should look up to in all 50 states," he said.
McCrory went on to thank neighborhood leaders for their role in keeping the peace.
"We saw the best of Charlotte last night. We had community leaders and clergy step between the Guard and those who wanted to cause trouble in order to defuse the situation. We are going to still need those leaders this weekend."
"There were a lot of false rumors out there, and that's just irresponsible. It will only stir things up," McCrory said, before telling reporters how much the unrest has cost the Queen City.
"I do want to let everyone know in the state that this does not come without cost. This has cost about $287,000," he said.
McCrory finished by saying, "I think we all have three goals: A fair investigation, protect constitutional rights and meeting compelling public interest. We have to take the politics out of any evidence. It cannot be about political parties."
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2:54 p.m.: Amelie's bakery will be closing their uptown location at 10 p.m. and NoDa location at 11 p.m. so that staff will be home safe before the curfew.
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2:50 p.m.: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has called for the release of the police video:
"Charlotte should release police video of the Keith Lamont Scott shooting without delay. We must ensure justice & work to bridge divides," she said.
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2:17 p.m.: CMS says all high school football games will go on as planned Friday night.
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1:45 p.m.: The New York Times has obtained cellphone video of the deadly encounter between CMPD officers and Keith Scott.
The person recording the video refers to Scott as her husband.
The video shows the moments leading up to the shooting, where she pleads with her husband to get out of the truck and urges police to not shoot him.
The video does not show the actually shooting, but the gunshots can be heard.
The New York Times obtained the video from the Scott family attorneys.
WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO: Watch the video here.
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12:13 p.m.: Police sources told Channel 9 that tests show that Keith Scott's fingerprints, DNA and blood were on the gun recovered at the shooting scene.
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12:08 p.m.: N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper is calling for the public release of the video.
"It has been a difficult 72 hours for Charlotte. Yesterday, I met and spoke with Mayor Roberts, faith and community leaders, law enforcement and national guard officials in Charlotte and I am deeply grateful for all the work they are doing to keep people and property safe. The question this morning is where do we go from here?
"We must continue in the pursuit of the truth while also continuing the important work of bringing our communities and law enforcement together to build trust and safety for all. One step toward meeting both goals is for the videos in this case to be released to the public.
"Transparency between the community and our law enforcement breaks down barriers and brings progress. As Attorney General I have witnessed first hand the honorable work that our officers do everyday and I am grateful for their hard work and sacrifice. I also know that many in our community feel disproportionately targeted and yearn to be heard and respected. Everyone is safer when there is mutual respect between law enforcement and our communities and working for that mutual respect is critical."
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11:55 a.m.: Carowinds released the following statement:
"Based on developments this week in the Charlotte region and the recently imposed curfew, operating hours for SCarowinds on Friday night, Sept. 23 will be 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. As a convenience for our guests, any tickets originally purchased for tonight will be extended for use through Sunday, Oct. 16."
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11:49 a.m.: Chief Putney said, "I know there's at least one body cam and one dash cam that I've reviewed, we're still working through all others involved."
The chief went on to say that "it's a matter of when" in regards to releasing the video of Keith Scott's shooting to the public.
“I'm not a very patient person,” Putney said. “If I were putting it out on my time frame, we would damage the investigation. What I can tell you is the video evidence didn't get us to the standard of probable cause.”
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11:42 a.m.: Mayor Roberts said, "There will be a curfew in effect and there are some businesses who have made the decision not operate under normal hours."
When asked if she saw a gun on the video of Keith Scott being shot, Roberts answered, “There were two videos I was able to see, the visual clarity made those videos inconclusive.”
The mayor went on to tell the press, “I lean toward transparency, however, I know there is a delicate balance when there's an ongoing investigation.”
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11:31 a.m.: The Epicentre will be closing at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It will close at 5 p.m. Sunday.
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11:20 a.m.: CMPD Chief Putney provided a rundown of Thursday night's events in chronological order:
8:30 p.m. -- A group of protesters began blocking Trade and Tryon streets.
8:45 p.m. -- Protesters within a group at Romare Bearden Park started putting on gas masks.
8:52 p.m. -- Police received intelligence that a violent group out of South Carolina was coming to Charlotte to protest. This all led the chief to seek approval for the midnight curfew.
10:15 p.m. – The Civil Emergency Unit was deployed to maintain order as streets were blocked.
10:40 p.m. – Interstate 277 was shut down by protesters blocking the road. It took about 15 minutes to clear them out.
10:56 p.m. – Reports of a city building that was being vandalized.
Police and the National Guard continued to facilitate the protesting through the night, and demonstrations began subsiding around 1:30 a.m.
Putney said that one officer suffered a minor hand injury and two others were sprayed with a chemical agent by protesters but would be OK.
The chief also said one National Guard member suffered a minor injury and one civilian, who was not a part of the protest, also suffered a minor injury.
Police made three arrests, including one for curfew violation.
The curfew will remain in place Friday night.
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11:15 a.m.: CMPD Chief Kerr Putney said that at 7 a.m., the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) apprehended 21-year-old Rayquan Borum, the suspect in the murder of Justin Carr, who was shot and killed during the demonstration Wednesday night.
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11 a.m.: Mayor Jennifer Roberts spoke to the assembled press Friday morning to speak about the unrest in Charlotte following a third night of mainly peaceful protests in uptown.
“Last night is what a lawful demonstration looks like,” she said. “We are in preparations for the weekend ahead…our uptown area is largely open for business and we’re working towards returning to normalcy.”
Roberts said the video of the shooting of Keith Scott should be released, but the timing is the question.
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9:30 a.m.: Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts appeared on CNN Friday morning to speak about the investigation into the shooting death of Keith Scott.
“I've been assured by our attorney that the law does not impact our decision on this particular incident because the incident occurred before October first,” she said about the investigation. “We're going to have conversations now about what we think is the best for continued transparency but also continued integrity of our investigative process.”
Roberts also shared her thoughts on Donald Trump’s comments that drugs are a big factor in urban violence.
“I think it's presumptuous for him to make a conclusion like that without having thorough conversations with people here on the ground,” the mayor said. “We had several council members who were out in the crowd last night, talking to people. I've been listening to folks, taken lots of phone calls, talked to a lot of folks in the street. We have a much better understanding than Mr. Trump.”
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8:40 a.m.: Channel 9 has been receiving reports of protests at various schools across the Charlotte area Friday morning. CMS released the following statement in response:
"CMS principals are working closely with staff and students to provide appropriate ways for students to share feelings and ask questions regarding recent events. Our goal at CMS is to provide a safe haven while also maintaining an orderly school and learning environment. CMS students have a right to peacefully protest, however walking out of class or school is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct which outlines disciplinary consequences."
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7:40 a.m.: The Epicentre will open as normal Friday.
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3:30 a.m.: The streets of uptown are quiet, not many people out.
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2 a.m.: Few protesters remain on the streets of uptown Charlotte.
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1:45 a.m.: About 40-50 people were left standing outside the Epicentre. Reporter Joe Bruno reported all is quiet.
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1 a.m.: One hour past curfew and there are still hundreds in uptown.
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12:30 a.m.: CMPD reports 2 officers were treated by paramedics after they were sprayed w a chemical agent by demonstrators.