In social networks, users were outraged by the murder of a US police officer

The killing of an unarmed black man by a police officer in South Carolina caused a flurry of outrage on social networks, reaching the top five global trends on Twitter.

After publishing a scene on a cell phone where a white policeman Michael Slager shoots back Walter Lamer Scott running away from him several times, Slager was charged with murder.

Users are wondering if he would be arrested if this video were not available and how many more such killings should happen before something changes in the United States.

Earlier, a police officer claimed that Slager was afraid for his life, as Scott tried to rob him of a stun gun during a fight. South Carolina prosecutors began investigating the incident.

The problem of discrimination?

“If there was no video, the murder of Walter Scott would be considered self-defense of a police officer against a “bandit,” Twitter user @JRehling is convinced.

User blackrepublican agrees: “How many other Walter Scotts are there? How many were shot like animals, how many deaths were given a logical justification - and all because there was no camera?

The general outrage of users is divided into two channels: one part considers the killing of Walter Scott and other similar cases as a consequence of discrimination against the black population, while others see this as a more general problem of the American police.

“Black men must be the most powerful and influential creatures, if even without weapons and a clear advantage they cause fear among the armed,” writes @URBANKash_ with irony.

“Black people serve in the US military and fight the 'foreign enemy' only to be killed by the police who are sworn to protect them,” @Russian_Starr outraged.

“Before, all a black man had to do to get killed was whistle at a white woman,” writes @RippDemUp. “Now all you have to do is ‘meet’ the policeman.”

"Wrong decision"?

A huge number of Internet users are calling for changes in the US police system.

“The cruelest tyranny is the one that lives under the shadow of legality and under the flag of justice,” user ‏ @ptsdjedi quotes the French philosopher Charles-Louis de Montesquieu.

“What’s shocking is that people are shocked that police officers are lying. Tired of people believing cops can do no wrong,” writes @Sherrea_D.

Some believe that change must start from within. “I believe there are good cops and bad cops. I think it’s time for the good to stand up against the bad,” writes @Mikesteezie.

The president of one of the human rights organizations, Cheryl Ifill, believes that this problem is one of the most pressing for the country: “Every candidate who says that they will run for the head of this state should be asked a question about this video today.”

“If any organization killed American citizens as often as the police do, we would have already declared war on them,” notes ‏@occupythemob.

The mayor of North Charleston, speaking to reporters, called the police officer's actions a "wrong decision."

“When you’re wrong, you’re wrong,” he said. “When you make a bad decision, I don’t care if you have a police badge or you’re a passerby on the street, you have to take responsibility for the consequences of that decision.”

Some users considered the official's words inapplicable to this situation. “To oversleep is the wrong decision. And shooting an unarmed person is an execution,” writes @NarinderSingh.

"It's called hunting"

Others also draw attention to the circumstances of the arrest itself - in particular, the fact that Michael Slager shot Walter Scott several times in the back, after which he was handcuffed.

“That cop could have caught the guy by running after him. He didn't even try. Just shot him like he was playing a damn video game,” notes @sugarthegirl.

User ‏ @kenleycapps speaks even harsher: “For the purpose of self-defense, do not shoot at a fleeing target. It's called hunting."

However, some still see the situation differently. “If you don’t want to get shot in the back, don’t run from a police officer who points a gun at you,” advises user @364690.

Similar incidents in the United States, especially in the cases of the shooting of armed white policemen at unarmed black suspects, are receiving increased attention. Many are concerned about the number of such cases in recent times.