Walter Scott shooting: Passenger Pierre Fulton breaks silence and says friend 'did not deserve to die'

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/walter-scott-shooting-passenger-pierre-fulton-breaks-silence-and-says-friend-did-not-deserve-to-die-10178350.html

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The man who was sitting in a car with Walter Scott moments before he was shot dead by a policeman, has broken his silence and insisted that his friend did not deserve to die.

In a statement issued by a lawyer, Pierre Fulton said he did not understand why Mr Scott got out of his vehicle and fled after he was pulled over and questioned by officer Michael Slager.

However, he said that regardless of the reason for him running away from the officer, his friend should not have been shot and killed.

“Walter was a dear friend, and I miss him every day,” Mr Fulton said, according to the Post and Courier newspaper

“Over the past five years, he helped me to become a better man and showed me the value of hard work. I’ll never know why he ran, but I know he didn’t deserve to die.

“Please keep Walter and his family in your prayers and respect my privacy moving forward.”

Video footage from the dashcam of Mr Slager’s police vehicle shows Mr Scott pulling over in an ageing green Mercedes after the officer pulled up behind him in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Hundreds attended the funeral service of Walter Scott at the weekend

The footage shows Mr Scott getting out of the vehicle and fleeing the scene. His family said he had failed to make child support payments and feared he would be detained.

Moments later, Mr Scott was shot and killed by Mr Slager, with the incident being captured on a mobile phone video recording made by a passer-by. Mr Slager has been charged with murder.

Mr Fulton’s lawyer, Mark Peper, said his client would not be making any further comment on the incident. “We hope this statement is sufficient enough to allow him to continue the healing process in a private manner,” he said.

Mr Slager claimed Mr Scott stole his Taser but the footage showed him dropping what appeared to be the Taser near the victim, who was lying on the ground after being fatally shot. South Carolina's State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the shooting.