UPDATED 09/21/16 9:19 a.m. ET:
Police fired tear gas at protesters who have gathered in the University City area of Charlotte, N.C. late Tuesday evening. The protest started after news broke that a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer shot and killed a man at an apartment complex earlier in the afternoon, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Officers wearing riot gear faced off against shouting protesters on Old Concord Road at Bonnie Lane. Tear gas was fired at around 10:53 p.m. ET when protesters started throwing water bottles at police. A police helicopter monitored what was happening from above.
#BREAKING It appears gas has just been sent into the crowd @WBTV_News pic.twitter.com/LTXk8w0vDX
— Alex Giles WBTV (@AlexGilesNews) September 21, 2016
Watching live feeds of protesters in #Charlotte after deadly police shooting of #KeithLamontScott. Tear gas used. pic.twitter.com/MOZzTU6w9h
— Tenikka Smith Hughes (@TenikkaANjax) September 21, 2016
It's a #WarZone in Charlotte rt now. As @CMPD deployed teargas on peaceful protesters over #KeithLamontScott murder. pic.twitter.com/U7xsPrfUIh
— V.️O.G On 8⃣7⃣.7⃣FM (@NotoriousVOG) September 21, 2016
Agitators destroying marked police units. CEU continues to work to restore order and protect our community. pic.twitter.com/ZSYSt374w0
— CMPD News (@CMPD) September 21, 2016
Here's footage from Twitter of protesters on the ground:
#Charlotte protestors confront police in riot gear. (via @ColeenHarryWBTV) #KeithLamontScott pic.twitter.com/iCd9OCBgq5
— D (@Delo_Taylor) September 21, 2016
#Charlotte protestors confront police in riot gear#KeithLamontScott pic.twitter.com/rGuWTOL324
— Crystal Johnson (@Crystal1Johnson) September 21, 2016
Crowd continuing down Old Concord Rd protesting @CMPD Ofr involved fatal shooting @WBTV_News pic.twitter.com/04dcGFzARC
— Coleen Harry WBTV (@ColeenHarryWBTV) September 21, 2016
CMPD confirmed at least 12 officers were injured and some were taken to the hospital.
Police source tells me all injured officers being transported to CMC Main...7 officers total at hospital.
— Morgan Fogarty (@MorganFogarty) September 21, 2016
Approximately 12 officers injured. One officer hit in face with a rock
— CMPD News (@CMPD) September 21, 2016
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts said a full investigation will take place into what happened.
I will continue to work with our manager & Chief on officer involved shooting. We are reaching out to community to ask for calm.
— Mayor of Charlotte (@CLTMayor) September 21, 2016
The community deserves answers and full investigation will ensue. Will be reaching out to community leaders to work together @CMPD @ncnaacp
— Mayor of Charlotte (@CLTMayor) September 21, 2016
The unrest was in response to news of the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old black man from Charlotte. According to a statement by department spokesman Keith Tiretley provided to ABC News, officers went to an apartment building at around 4 p.m. ET to search for a suspect with an outstanding warrant when they encountered Scott inside of his car.
Officers saw the man get out the car with a gun and then get back in, Trietley said. 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 at least one fired a weapon, he said.
Scott was taken to Carolinas Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Detectives on the scene recovered a firearm, and were interviewing witnesses.
Police say Scott was holding a gun when they approached him. However, Scott's family says he was holding a book, not a firearm. His family also said he was disabled. “The family says the man was not armed, and that he was just simply reading book and waiting for his son to come home from school,” reports Fox 46 News’ Brett Baldeck. You can watch a clip below.
Chaos in Charlotte NC #KeithLamontScott Family said man had a book NOT a gun @PatMcCroryNC signed a bill restricting view of police cameras pic.twitter.com/iSD5STVFgv
— Tom Stokes (@SportsPlusShow) September 21, 2016
Brother of #KeithLamontScott the disabled man shot & killed by police in Charlotte, North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/viHaPUUcaP
— Crystal Johnson (@Crystal1Johnson) September 21, 2016
The officer who fired the shot was identified as CMPD Officer Brentley Vinson, who is African American. As a standard procedure, CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate investigation into whether or not CMPD policies and procedures were followed. Vinson will be placed on administrative leave, as per the department's rules of conduct.
As of early Wednesday morning, all lanes of Interstate 85 had been reopened. The road was "still littered with some rocks and glass" following the evening's protests, the Charlotte Observer reported. Of the 12 officers originally reported as injured during the demonstrations, seven of them were reportedly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. One officer, the Charlotte Observer reported, was believed to have been hit in the face with a rock. Though police have not confirmed how many arrests were made during the protests, local reports currently estimate that as many as five people were taken into custody.