“Investigators have interviewed more than 40 witnesses, including more than a dozen who said they saw Scott with the gun in his hand and out of his waistband, Neville said.”
That would make about 30 (more than 40 - more than a dozen) who said his hands were empty (or that they couldn’t see, in which case they aren’t really witnesses).
People see what they expect to see. If there is a police shooting, they expect to see the other guy with a gun. They do NOT expect to see the other guy with empty hands.
There is also NO WAY that they ‘don’t know if there is video’ by now. The video may be inconclusive (ie, it may not be possible to see Scott’s hands), but they know if there is video.
Anyone know if they found any drugs in Scott’s body? Or turn up any indication that Scott wanted to commit suicide by cop? The cops guns were already drawn, according to what I’ve read previously. There aren’t many who try to outdraw a drawn gun - although a drawn gun doesn’t prevent the bearer from being shot.
I think 2 things are obvious:
1 - The cops badly mishandled this. You do NOT try to take down an armed suspect in a crowd!
2 - If, heaven forbid, I ever shoot someone in self defense, I’ll be held to a higher standard of restraint and self-control than these cops demonstrated.
He was at Costco buying items because his girlfriend was moving in with him. He was a graduate of West Point, a veteran and a CCW. He was also a top salesman for pacemakers and was popular because he talked to the patients themselves. His father is also a veteran and an author. All this was in earlier articles. This was not a drug user or a suicidal man. His girlfriend was a few feet away from him when he was shot.
I would like to be a jurist but I am not sure there will even be any considering the venue.