A second night of violent protests breakout in Charlotte
By: Jim Williams – Washington Bureau Chief for News Talk Florida
WASHINGTON – This morning the North Carolina National Guard have rolled into Charlotte in hopes of making sure that protesting in the city calm and not get out of hand. Things have been intense as one person was shot dead on Wednesday in a second night of unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina, officials said, as riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse unruly protesters after the fatal police shooting of a black man.
Charlotte Police Chief Kerr Putney confirmed that a person shot during the protest had died but did not identify the individual or the origin of the gunfire.
However, city officials said in a Twitter message that the fatal gunshot was fired by one civilian at another, not by police. A police officer was also being treated for injuries suffered during the protests, the city said.
President Obama called the mayors of Charlotte, N.C., and Tulsa, Oklahoma Wednesday to offer his condolences and guidance after the police shootings of two black men.
The president spoke to Mayor Jennifer Roberts of Charlotte and Mayor Dewey Bartlett of Tulsa Wednesday afternoon, the White House said in a statement.
Both mayors updated the president on the ongoing situation in their cities and stressed their commitment to maintaining peaceful protests, the White House said.
The president told the mayors he and his administration are committed to providing any assistance needed and stressed his desire for local police to find ways to “calmly and productively” engage protesters.
The White House said Obama will continue to get updates on the situations from Attorney General Loretta Lynch and White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.
The fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott led to a night of rowdy protests in Charlotte Tuesday that left 16 officers injured.
Just days earlier, video was released of Terence Crutcher being gunned down by Tulsa police on Friday while he had his hands up.
Quotes in this story came from Associated Press and the video from Livestream/WBTV as well as CNN.
