Blue Lives Matter, an organization comprised of active or retired law enforcement officers, claims the cable news network edited video of the Sept. 20 fatal shooting of Keith Scott to cut out police ordering him to “drop the gun,” fueling claims Scott, a black man, was unarmed when he was shot by Officer Brentley Vinson. Although Vinson is black, the incident was the latest police shooting around the nation to spur violent protests and rioting.
"The editing was clearly intended to give viewers the impression that Scott wasn't armed. By intentionally excluding information to promote the false narrative that the officer-involved shooting of Keith Scott was unjustified, CNN directly contributed towards inciting violence and destruction in the Charlotte riots,” Blue Lives Matter said in a statement. “Innocent citizens were hurt during the Charlotte riots, but editing like this also incites violence against police officers long after the riots are over.”
In August, CNN was accused of editing comments from the sister of a black man killed by a black Milwaukee police officer to make it appear that she called for peace. The shooting of Sylville Smith, who police said refused to put down his gun, touched off riots and violence in the city, Fox News reports.
Smith’s sister, Sherelle, was quoted as calling for an end to violence “in the city.” But CNN left out what followed: a call for protesters to burn down the suburbs.