Suspect Arrested in Suspect Arrested in Murder of Charlotte Protester

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ABC Team) – Charlotte police have arrested a suspect in the murder of a protester at a demonstration this week.

The victim, Justin Carr, 26, was fatally shot by another civilian during Wednesday night’s demonstrations over the police shooting on Tuesday of Keith Lamont Scott.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said at a press conference Friday that video evidence led to the arrest that morning of a suspect in Carr’s murder. The investigation is still ongoing.

“Just a tremendous amount of good detective work there,” Putney said. “We already have established probable cause and have made that arrest.”

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts said at the press conference that she believes police videos of the shooting “should be released,” but it’s a question of timing.

Chief Putney said he agreed that the police footage should be made public eventually, but releasing it too soon could undermine the investigation. He also said the probe into Scott’s death has been officially handed over to North Carolina’s State Bureau of Investigation, which will be in charge of providing updates and releasing further information.

The press conference followed a third night of protests over the police shooting of Scott, but Thursday night’s protests were mostly peaceful.

Carr’s mother posted a plea for peaceful protest on her Facebook page, and said, “my baby was shot in the head for no apparent reason!”