CMPD stands by decision not to discipline officer involved in Keith Scott shooting

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CHARLOTTE, NC (WCCB) – CMPD is standing by it’s decision not to discipline Officer Brentley Vinson.

“I have full confidence, complete confidence in the investigation,” says Major Stella Patterson, with CMPD Internal Affairs.

Vison is back on duty after the shooting that killed Keith Scott in September 2016.

It led to days of protests across the city.

“I reviewed the entire thing, it was very thorough, I think when the District Attorney outlined everything, he was very thorough from what came out of the investigation,” Paterson says.

But Tuesday night, the Citizen’s Review Board made an unprecedented decision to look further into the case.

“We had to show substantial evidence that a potential error had occurred,” explains Scott family attorney Charles Monnett.

Monnett believes when the board hears more evidence in August, he can prove Vinson broke department policy.

“We don’t believe that the evidence would support a finding that Keith Scott was engaged in aggravated, active aggression at the time the shots were fired,” Monnett says.

Stats though show after 20 years and 91 cases, the board has never ruled in favor of a complaining citizen.

Police reform advocate Robert Dawkins, with SAFE Coalition NC, says Scott family attorneys still have an uphill battle.

“Proving there’s greater weight in the evidence that the police department erred, so that’s still a tall task but we’re hopeful,” Dawkins says.

Police maintain the shooting was justified after Scott was found with marijuana and a gun.

They say he ignored officer commands.