US police officer faces murder charges

Local authorities on Tuesday charged North Charleston police officer Michael Slager of shooting 50-year-old Walter Scott on April 4. A video of the incident showed Slager shooting the man who appeared to be fleeing from him.

"When you're wrong, you're wrong," North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey told journalists. "If you make a bad decision, I don't care if you're behind the shield or just a citizen on the street, you have to live by the decision," Summey added.

African American Walter Scott was pulled over for a broken tail light on Saturday. A small scuffle broke out between Scott and officer Slager, before Scott began running away. The video of the incident, possibly taken by a bystander, showed Slager firing several shots at Scott, who succumbed to his injuries.

Authorities said Slager shot at Scott despite already having hit him with a stun gun. Slager's lawyer however argued that the officer felt Scott was trying to grab his stun gun.

Tensions have been high in the US over white policemen using deadly force against black men. Last year witnessed nationwide protests (photo) in the US after a white police officer killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

mg/jm (Reuters, AP)