A friend of the North Carolina police officer who fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott says the officer is “distraught” and “torn” following Tuesday’s incident.
“No matter if it’s justified or unjustified, it’s tough when you have to know that you had to take someone else’s life,” Michael Scurlock said during his appearance on “CNN Newsroom.”
Scurlock, a former member of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers, said he spoke with Officer Brentley Vinson. The pair know one another from Bible study.
They spoke on the phone Tuesday evening, a development that came as a surprise to show host Brooke Baldwin.
“You talked to him just last night,” Baldwin asked during Wednesday’s live interview. “I was told you hadn’t talked to him … this is news. So, what did he tell you?”
Scurlock was hesitant to go into great depth, but did speak to the difficulty of the situation for all parties involved.
“I can tell you … it’s nothing easy. It’s nothing easy and I know that he expressed that through the emotions of his voice, over the phone,” shared Scurlock.
The city of Charlotte has seen protests following a recent string of police-involved incidents. For Scurlock, this latest episode leaves the city with no shortage of victims for whom to mourn.
“As much as our community is praying for the loss of Mr. Scott as well, we’ll also be praying for (Vinson) as well, and I believe he has a strong support within the community.”