Family of man shot to death by S.C. officer asks for prayers, calm

The murder charges against City Patrolman Michael Thomas Slager came after the emergence of dramatic video taken by a bystander. The video showed Walter Lamer Scott loping away from the officer after a traffic shop for a broken tail light, then being shot repeatedly in the back.

South Carolina State. Rep. Justin Bamberg said the bystander who took the video of the shooting was a hero in the family's eyes.

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Scott’s brother, Anthony Scott, said when the shooting happened on Saturday, all the family wanted was “the truth.”

“We have all seen the video. (Without the video), would we have known the truth?” Scott asked.

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Referring to the charges against Slager, Scott said, “We can’t get my brother back …but justice has been served. And I don’t think that all police officers are bad cops but there are some bad ones out there.”

Scott and others who spoke at the news conference urged the community to remain calm and to work with their elected officials to change police practices.

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Walter Scott had already been hit with the officer’s stun gun before the fatal shooting, and the officer said in the police report after the shooting that he felt in fear for his life.

Bamberg said there may be dash cam video, but that had not yet been confirmed. He said the incident lends support to legislation before South Carolina lawmakers that would require body cameras on police officers.

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Anthony Scott said his brother was well-loved and outgoing and “loved the Dallas Cowboys.” He asked the public to lend their prayers to the family “because prayer changes things, and justice will be served.”