from a bystander shows walter scott running away when he is shot several times. the officer has been charged with murder. the mayor of north charles, south carolina and the police chief are holding a news conference at city hall on what happened. the news conference preparing to begin. let's check in with jonathan martin who arrived there this morning. it is now live in north charleston. >> reporter: good afternoon, ran del. we have heard from the mayor and police chief from the very beginning, yesterday, saying that despite the initial investigation moving quickly, but the officer being arrested and charged with murder. they are going to commit to a

thorough investigation. >> we ask that you have your questions. be patient. we have ten minutes worth of time for questions for both mayor sunny as well as chief eddie triggers. and there will be numerous people that will be joining us here in the room as well. without any further adu i'll introduce the mayor and chief triggers.

>> good afternoon, thank you ladies and gentlemen, for joining us for this press conference. i will tell you that the chief and i along with my wife, visited the family this morning. a wonderful down-to-earth family, a wonderful group of people. we let them know how we feel about their loss, how bad it was, and we do not condone wrong. it doesn't matter who it is.

we're interest to support them, if we can in the future. the officer that was terminated his wife is eight months pregnant and while she--he's been terminated, the city is going to continue to cover the insurance on her for the baby until after the baby is born. we think that is the humane thing for us to do. and we're going to do that. thanks to center march marlin kempson. we received a grant to purchase 101 body cameras. those body cameras are on order.

we have already ordered this morning an additional 150 body cameras so every officer that is on the treat in uniform will have a body camera. now, i want you to know that it takes a while-- [applause] once the cameras come in we have to establish a policy. we've already been drafting a policy for for for our league department to look at and make sure that it meets muster. this has been an errorible tragedy within our community. there have been two families that have been harmed by what occurred both the victims and the officers families. and our hearts go out to both of them we--he was taken back by

the warm and kind reception that we received today from the family they are an outstanding family within our community. and the mother and father are wonderful people, and the other family was there. they are suffering. those of you however you choose to offer up prayers please pray for this family in the time that they're going through we will be there to support them at the funeral with a police escort to make sure that we get them moved properly and give them the utmost respect and the respect that the deceased deserves.

we're going to allow to you ask questions after the chief speaks for ten minutes. i want to let the national media know that we respect you. we are not going to do any initial interviews until after the burial. i'm not going to make this is a political forum for me and the city what we're trying to do is make sure that the family has an adequate time to put their son to rest. after that, we'll start talking. we'll be working within the community to have open dialogue on policies on what we have, and looking at ways to open a closer working relationships with the communities. our chief has been doing that for the last two years.

you got to remember that we're the only city in the state that has a police officer in every school. it's not just to create security in the schools. it's to create relationships between officers and young people in our community. we'll continue to look at ways to enhance the quality of service that we provide to our citizens. by that i mean all of our citizens. so we'll be having some good open dialogue within the next 30 days. and those of you who are interested in taking part in that dialogue, if you'll contact our office and let us know, we'll be glad to consider you with that role. with that i'll turn it over to chief driggers and let him have some remarks. >> my heart goes out to the family today. a good visit with him.

i've got to meet a daddy who is in mourning, the mama who is in mourning, and we talked father-to-father. so it--it was a good visit with them and i just--i would ask you to however you give respect to individuals give them the respect that they deserve during this time. know that you're doing our best not just as a city but as a police officer police department. we're doing our best to protect you.

we'll continue to strife to do what is right. we're going to strife to do what is right. i would just ask you to keep--i had been praying for peace. peace for the family, peace for the community and i'll continue to strife on that as i strife to protect and serve the people that i took an oath to do so. so that said-- >> any questions? >> chief chief. ♪ chanting no justice no ] >> may i make one statement. we only have ten minutes. if we're going to allow team to ask their questions. we understand what you're saying

saying. we don't have an issue with that. but if we can have an opportunity to answer your questions because mr. prior said he's going cut it off. >> chief there were other officers in that video. did any of them come forward and say that they were they were not telling the truth? >> to my knowledge nobody was witness to anything but him. to may my knowledge. >> was cpr ever performed on this man as far as you know? >> i'm going to be hospital with you. >> do that. >> i am, the honesty comes from my heart. i've watched the video, and i was sickened by what i saw.

i have not watched it sense. but in that end--because i've been receiving a lot of phone calls and a lot of e-mails in the end of it what i sass with as was i believed to be a police officer removing the shirt of the individual and performing some type of life-saving--but i'm not sure what took place there. >> you don't know if cpr was performed? >> i do not know. i was told that life-saving--that they tried to save his life by when we got to it. >> if i could further elaborate. could cpr be performed right away. and who was that first officer on the scene the african-american officer was that habersham? >> yes. >> should that have been performed--

>> we see the officer dropping something near the body. it's not clear what that is. a lot of people have suggested that what was the officer was dropping was a taser. >> we're under no obligation to turn an investigation over. we could have investigated this ourselves. but, but but we chose to turn it over because that's the right thing tad. to have an independent agency do the investigation. there are questions that i have in my mind that i can't answer right now those questions will have to be 16 answered by scarlet wilson and by sled. i can't answer those questions. i would just refer those specific questions to the people

who have investigated this to the fullest extent. >> do you have procedures in place? what are your procedures, and were they followed? >> obviously not. >> do you have procedures in place to deal with a wounded suspect, victim, or are there procedures in place. >> is it a normal procedure to handcuff them after they're shot? >> hold on here. wait a minute. let me answer the questions for you that we can answer. first of all we don't have all the information-- >> do you have the answers. >> i'm asking you to respect me as i respect you. i'm talking with the media. the people came here--we're

about to close this press conference. >> not the media. not the media. >> we're about to close this press conference. you had a question? >> how did this city not turn into a ferguson seeing that you have a shooting of a black man by a white police officer. what prevented it from going over in that 24 hour period after the shooting. >> because i think we did what was right. we turned the investigation over to an independent agency that does not work for the mayor and does not work with the chief. we also then try to get all the information that we could and turn over to them, and that's why some of the questions that are being asked today we don't have that evidence. that evidence was presented to

sled. we gave them everything we have. they are the one who is need to answer the questions about the investigation. and hold on, i'm still answering. >> when did you believe there was something wrong in the officer's story and explaining and showing that it didn't match. >> we i saw the videotape yesterday for the first time. >> i had no reason to rely on anything but the evidence we had. i was not engaged in the investigation, and i did not have the evidence. >> we want to talk with the chief of police. >> young lady?

[ inaudible question ] >> they went through a process that goes through the department. that's part of the personnel file and we'll be glad to release it to you. >> does the taser have an camera. >> the taser does not have an camera. >> this community is mostly africa men. and the police department is 80% white. when is it time to change. >> let me say we recruit african-american members to the

police department. anyone who becomes certified as a police department, we're more than willing to hire. the problem is that we have a very limited number even to the point that we started going out and recruiting from other departments. i think that if you get all-- >> the video shows it. >> let's hear the answer. >> the answer to your question is that if you are made privy of all of the video, i have not seen all of the video therefore i can't answer the questions.

there's the car video of sled has that. what i understand the video that i saw was not all the video that exists. we were only able to look at what was given to us. yes, sir? [ chanting we want driggers ♪ [ ] >> yes sir? we need it a little bit louder. >> what is the make and model of the handgun? >> we can leave that--get that information to you. i'm not that familiar with the gun. >> with all due respect with all due respect sir, can you please explain to the people why it is that you won't allow chief

driggers: i can speak for myself. respect. the people would like to know why it is that you won't allow the police chief to answer police-related matters even though we know you are the man in charge. but the people are asking for the chief to answer these questions. >> because the chief is not allowed to answer any questions about the evaluation because there is another agency doing the investigation. they're not allowing us to release that information. >> how do we verify that. >> tomorrow berry withtom berry with sled. >> they said that chief driggers can provide official account. >> sled is who he gives that to. we did not get that. >> as far as you know he has not

given an official narrative of what happened. >> again that's something that sled would have to answer. >> yes he is still involved in that case or was he fired and gone. >> he is terminated. he is no longer here. >> he's not even involved in the investigation at this point. >> i think what you're trying to tell you we're not doing the investigation. sled is, so therefore they are the agency that has to give you any information from the investigation. >> do you handcuff someone after they have been shot. >> that's standard policy across the country. the last question right here. >> given what happened are you now taking a look at this officer who is under arrest and other cases. >> we are--that is something that we'll have to move to in the future.

>> you are considering looking at other cases, other arrests he has made and other arrests? >> we'll look at that. any questions anybody has we're more than willing to look at it. >> who will give discipline near action. >> that has to come within the investigation. i can't tell you until we know exactly if there were any other officers engaged or involved before i can tell you that there would be any type of punishment that we would go after. >> the only role that i know from what i saw from the video were from the first officers that were responded. he came up to the gentleman

laying on the ground, and was checking them out. i did see one of the officers at one time check my understanding that there is more video than i saw, and that other officers--not every officer is cpr certified. >> wow. why not? >> with that, it's over. thank you. >> we've just been listening to a news conference being held at north charleston, south carolina, with the mayor and police chief and the sound of a lot of protesters and demonstrators who were also present at that news conference. this news conference called after the shooting death of walter scott. 50-year-old walter scott by north charleston parole man michael charles slagger. one announcement made at this

press conference. >> the officer that was terminated. his wife is eight months pregnant and while she--he has been terminated the city will continue to cover the insurance on her for the baby until after the baby is born. we think that is the humane thing for us to do. and we're going to do that. >> so the mayor indicating that while the officer has been terminated that there will be a continuing of insurance coverage for the wife of the police officer, who is now being investigated by the state law enforcement agency sled its called in south carolina. the state law enforcement department that is now handling the shooting death of walter scott. we have standing by live with us jonathan martin, who was able to listen to that news conference in north charleston.

do you know anything about who those protesters were, who were shouting during the news conference? >> you randall they're a group with black lives matter. there were 50 or 60 of them holding a rally here on the steps of north charleston city hall. they gathered a lot of--they really have gotten the word through social media some of them from the charleston area. some of them from the outside who have come in. and you heard that some had very pointed questions for the police chief, but the mayor was very clear. he couldn't answer the questions because of the initial the really main part of the investigation has been handled by sled, as you mentioned the south carolina law enforcement investigation division. there have been other officers who may or may not have been involved. did they witness the shooting? did they come forward with the narrative of what happened? we heard the police chief doctor we heard the mayor say that we only believe slagger was part of

the shooting took part in the shooting and was witnessed it. one other thing that we heard from the mayor was that they were moving forward and getting body cameras for all of their officers. that's something that has been talked about for months but has stall: but because of this shooting that happened on saturday and the video that came out we we now know that the player mayor has ordered these cameras. he said they should be here in a short time. another question from some of the reporters and activists today was cpr. was cpr performed on the mr. scott as he was on the ground. he said that it appeared that was the case but they cannot say for sure. randall, we don't have a lot all of have a lot of answers the investigation being done by

south carolina enforcement division. >> with respect to other shootings that have been similar where we have a police officer shooting of an unarmed person it has taken weeks and months. and in the case of north charleston it is rather stunning to see how quickly they have moved to at least bring charges against the police officer who apparently according to that video, committed a crime. we must--you also mentioned the body cameras. the mayor announcing with the assistance of the state, 100 body cameras will be purchased and another 150 so all of the police officers in north charleston will have access. but it will take a while for those cameras to be utilized because the officers have to be train: jonathan, it was striking that the mayor

indicated how he and the police chief had visited the family of walter scott and the reception that they had received from the family the mayor saying that he was taken aback by the warmth of the reception by the family of walter scott. >> yes, he did say that. they had received a very warm reception. the mayor said that he and his wife and police chief visited. he said that wrong is wrong and it doesn't matter who it is, we're going to stand by what is right. he did visit with the family earlier today. >> calling it a horrible tragedy and indicating there would be a police escort austin funeral' arrangements arrangements are made for walter scott. the announcement made that the investigation is being handled by the state law enforcement division and the prosecutor known as a solicitor in south carolina that charges may be or

may not be brought to against other officers who were present. stay tune for more on al jazeera america.

>> we are continuing our coverage of the anger in south carolina where there are demands for justice one day after police arrested one of their own for murder. a white officer shot and killed a black man named walter scott over the weekend. the