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CMPD officer who shot, killed Keith Scott cleared by Independent Shooting Review Board

By Paul Boyd
By Paul Boyd

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Channel 9 has obtained a five-page internal investigation that lays out nearly every detail of the deadly officer-involved shooting of Keith Lamont Scott.

Channel 9 learned the Independent Shooting Review Board has reviewed the report and determined the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who shot and killed Scott was justified.

[CLICK HERE to read the Independent Shooting Review Board's report]

Channel 9 anchor Allison Latos reached out Friday to the Scott family attorney, who said the family received the report Friday, and added that he already plans to appeal the board's decision to the Citizen's Review Board.

[CLICK HERE to read the district attorney's full report on the Keith Scott shooting]

The Mecklenburg County’s district attorney already cleared CMPD officer Brentley Vinson of any wrongdoing last November.

(Brentley Vinson)

But in March, an Independent Shooting Review Board went over the five-page report, witness testimony and evidence.

The five-page report lays out every move CMPD officers made Sept. 20, 2016, before and after the deadly encounter with Scott.

[RELATED: DA says CMPD officer 'acted lawfully' in shooting death of Keith Scott]

Vinson and several other undercover officers were preparing to serve outstanding warrants on another suspect in a northwest Charlotte complex when they saw Scott in a white SUV.

The officers decided to approach Scott after one of the officers observed him rolling a marijuana blunt, and at one point, said he lifted a small handgun.

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Vinson felt he needed to fire his weapon during the chaotic confrontation.

In the report, Vinson said, “I felt like if I didn't do anything right then at that point, it's like, he was gonna shoot me or he's going to shoot one of my buddies and it was gonna happen right now so I reacted.”

Vinson fired his gun four times.

The independent board felt Vinson's actions were justified because Scott exited his vehicle with a gun and refused officer's commands.

Scott’s family attorney, Charles Monnett, told Channel 9 he hopes the Citizens Review Board reaches a different decision.

"Perhaps this will be the case that breaks the, I think, 78 cases in a row that they have upheld internal affairs, but maybe this will be the one that truly gets an independent look,” Monnett said.

Scott’s death sparked days of violent protests across Charlotte last September.

Protesters took to the streets and even blocked Interstate 85 and set fires.

(Click PLAY to watch a recap of the riots.)

The second night of protests took a deadly turn when a gunshot rang out in front of the Omni Hotel in uptown Charlotte and a protester was shot and killed in a crowd of people.

By the third night, the National Guard was deployed.

Cox Media Group

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