North Charleston Officer Michael Slager has been charged with murder, the move comes after footage emerged showing disturbing images of him shooting an unarmed black man. Read his top ten facts below!
1. Officer Slager lives in South Carolina.
33-year-old Michael Slater is a white North Charleston, S.C., police officer; who who lives 6 miles from North Charleston in the city of Hanahan, South Carolina.
2. Officer Michael Slager has been an officer for five years.
According to the Post and Courier, Slager previously served in the Coast Guard. Slager’s personnel record, which was obtained by the Post and Courier through a Freedom of Information Act request, shows that he was part of a boarding team while serving in Florida with the Coast Guard.
3. He is married with children.
He is currently married and lives with his wife and two stepchildren. According to the Los Angeles Times, his wife is expecting a child.
4. Slager has been cleared of wrongdoing at least twice.
Slager was accused of excessive force in 2013 when a man said he shot him with a Taser for no reason, but an internal investigation cleared him. He was cleared in another complaint, the Post and Courier reported, but details were not available.
5. He is accused of shooting 50-year-old Walter Scott, 8 times in the back.
It is believed Officer Slager fired his Taser and moments later, when Mr. Scott turns to run, Slager draws his gun and fires. Mr. Scott falls after the last of eight shots.
6. The officer was charged thanks to a video filmed by a bystander.
The disturbing video is making headlines across the country and shows the confrontations between the two men that took place Saturday morning after Scott, who had a warrant out for his arrest, ran from a traffic stop.
7. Once Scott was down, Slager failed to follow proper procedures.
The video shows after Salger shot his target 8-times, he handcuffed the body and didn’t deliver CPR. He might also have planted a weapon next to the body.
8. Slager lied when he reported the shooting on his radio.
Moments after the struggle, Officer Slager reported on his radio: “Shots fired and the subject is down. He took my Taser,” according to police reports.
9. Slager made his first court appearance.
Four days after Scott was shot to death Saturday morning and just hours after being charged, Slager made his first court appearance Tuesday night.
10. He could face the death penalty.
Slager was charged with murder, which is eligible for the death penalty or a term of 30 years to life in prison upon conviction.
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