CNN reporter bodychecked to ground amid violent protests in Charlotte
A night of unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina over police violence turned ugly on Wednesday as protesters clashed with police.
Amid the chaos, a CNN reporter was bodychecked by an unidentified individual who then fled from the scene. Ed Lavandera was broadcasting live from the protests when a man collided with him.
Lavandera was sent to the ground, but got back up quickly and did not appear to be seriously injured.
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Later, CNN correspondent Sara Sidner tweeted that the man came back to apologize to Lavandera.
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The startling scene provided a brief glimpse into what was already a violent evening. One protester suffered a gunshot wound, with reports indicating that he was shot by another civilian. Authorities initially reported that the person had died, but walked back that report later to say that the person was in critical condition and on life support.
Other scenes showed police in body armor aggressively grabbing protesters and shooting canisters that reportedly contained tear gas.
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Protests started Tuesday night after police killed Keith Lamont Scott. The 43-year-old Scott died after police shot him while looking for another person. Police claim that he had a gun, while his family says that he was disabled, unarmed and only holding a book when police told him to get out of his car.
Scott's death came just days after a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killed Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man, triggering peaceful protests.
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Other members of the media also reported that they were the subject of assaults.
Reporter Mary Sturgill of WLTX of Columbia, South Carolina, tweeted that she and a photographer were in the hospital after they were accosted by "agitators."
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Other journalists reported that protesters were actively helping journalists on the ground in Charlotte.
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North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency around 11 p.m. ET and called for the National Guard to intervene.
The Charlotte Observer appeared to have suffered some shattered windows.
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A reporter for the Fox affiliate in Charlotte said the station was evacuating its journalists due to growing protests and the possibility of more conflict.
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Topics Black Lives Matter
Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
