White Police Officer shoots unarmed black man 5 times in the back, handcuffs his lifeless body

A white police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina has shot a fleeing unarmed black man five times in the back then handcuffed his lifeless body after he crumpled on the ground and was captured on camera. The video was captured by a bystander who has been hailed as a hero. He's now in hiding.

White Police officer Michael Slager, 33, shot dead father-of-4 Walter Scott, 50, on Saturday morning April 4th after stopping him over a broken tail light. The police officer was later arrested yesterday April 7th after the video was seen by police. He had initially alleged that he shot Scott because he feared for his life, but the video shows otherwise, Scott was actually fleeing from him. The officer fired his gun 8 times, three missed Scott, a US Coast Guard veteran. The officer has now been charged with murder.

Scott left and his killer right

Keith Summey, the mayor of North Charleston, called the killing a 'bad decision' at a press conference announcing the charges.

"When you’re wrong, you’re wrong. When you make a bad decision, don’t care if you’re behind the shield or a citizen on the street, you have to live with that decision.'

On Monday, the white police officer's lawyer issued a statement putting across Slager's version of events. He stated that the officer 'felt threatened and reached for his department-issued firearm and fired his weapon. "Officer Slager believed he followed all the proper protocol and policies of the North Charleston Police Department'.

But after seeing the video footage yesterday, the lawyer said he was no longer representing Slager

Under South Carolina law, Slager could be eligible for the death penalty if convicted of murder.

A lawyer for the family says that the footage shows Slager 'casually' taking Scott's life, and acting as if there would be no repercussions.

Attorney L. Chris Stewart said: 'This was a cop who felt like he could get away with just shooting anybody that many times in the back... He just casually shot a man that many times in the back. At the moment he turned and ran and was not a threat to anybody else that officer was completely unjustified.'

Stewart said the family would also pursue civil charges against Slager. 

Anthony, right, spoke alongside Walter's younger brother Rodney, left, at a press conference Tuesday

He also said that without the video, and the 'hero' who recorded it, there would have been no murder charges.

He told TV crews: 'What happened today doesn't happen all the time - what if there was no video?'

'What if there was no witness - or hero - to come forward?

'The initial reports stated something totally different - the officer said Mr Scott attacked him and tried to use his Taser on him. But somebody was watching.'

Scott's brother, Anthony, spoke after his brother's death. He said Walter had a fiancée, two siblings and four children. 

The Mercedes Scott was driving when he was stopped apparently over a burned-out tail light