Protests in Charlotte, N.C. turn violent - It's time for a change in attitudes

Both police and civilians can take reasonable steps to reduce danger.

Protesters ran riot in downtown Charlotte, NC on Wednesday night, as they vented frustration over the killing of a disabled man by police. Keith Lamont Scott was shot and killed by police on Tuesday. Police say he had a gun, while others contend the police mistook a book for a weapon. Protests of the shooting have become violent.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Police killed Keith Lamont Scott, 43, described as a disabled black man on Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, NC. Scott was shot after he emerged from his vehicle with something in his hand. Conflicting narratives claim it was a book or a gun. A gun was recovered from the scene.

Tuesday's shooting, closely follows the fatal shooting of Terence Crutcher, 40, in Tulsa Oklahoma. In that case, officer Betty Shelby shot and killed Crutcher while he was being tasered. In that case, video evidence shows that Crutcher was unarmed and had his hands in the air as he was shot.

It is unclear how compliant he was at the time. Police say he was attempting to reach for something inside his vehicle, but footage shows his window was up, making such an act impossible.

Crutcher was also a black man with a family, including two children. He was an ordained minister.

The Black Lives Matter movement has coalesced around these shootings to protest what they argue is the over-policing and aggressive treatment of blacks in America. Attention has been focused on the apparently regular killing of unarmed black men by police. Many charge the killings are racially motivated.

Black Lives Matter is not the only party to the protests. Smaller organizations, as well as thousands of individuals, are taking to the streets in Charlotte to protest these killings. However, the protests have quickly turned to riots as police clad in body armor and supplied with heavy equipment move in to dispel the crowds. Not all of the protestors are peaceful.

Protestors have thrown objects at police, smashed cars and store windows. Police have used non-lethal force to disperse the crowds, including concussion grenades and tear gas. North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency and asked the National Guard and state police to help.

One civilian has been critically injured, shot by another civilian during the protests. That victim is on life support.

It is evident that there is a problem with the rules of engagement used by law enforcement. Police are widely renown as heroes because they have pledged a willingness to place their lives in danger to protect the lives of others.

Some officers are being cast as villains because they appear too quick to deploy lethal force which results in the death of an unarmed person, or someone they are supposed to protect. Such incidents create fear in place of trust and incite protests.

Undoubtedly, it is extremely difficult to serve as a police officer. Our law enforcement deserves more pay and respect for the work they perform. The vast majority of officers serve with great honor and distinction. However, it must be clear to all that the rules of engagement must be changed to favor the suspect in cases where the public at large is not in imminent danger.

It is also important that the public learn when and how to obey directives from law enforcement officers, particularly when a weapon is drawn. Many police shootings result from suspects who fail to comply with reasonable orders, or who decide to test officers in high stress situations. Such tests are better left to lawyers, after the fact, than to pistols in the heat of the moment.

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