The shooting of black father Walter Scott follows several other high-profile cases of officers opening fire on civilians in South Carolina.
The state's law enforcement officials have fired their weapons at suspects more than 200 times in the past five years, according to Columbia-based newspaper The State.
Last September, South Carolina state trooper Lance Corporal Sean M. Groubert allegedly shot and wounded an unarmed black man after stopping him for a seat-belt violation at a gas station.
Dashboard camera footage appeared to show Groubert, who is white, firing several shots at Levar Jones after he reached into his vehicle to retrieve his ID near Columbia on Sept. 4.
Groubert was fired from his job and charged with assault and battery, which carries a maximum 20 years in prison. His trial is expected to start later this year.
Jones was wounded in the hip and has been using a cane to aid his recovery. He told TODAY in October that he still refused to watch the footage. "It's shocking and it's very disturbing,'' he said.
In January, the murder trial of Eutawville Police Chief Richard Combs ended in a hung jury. Combs had been accused of fatally shooting a 54-year-old man following an argument over a traffic ticket at a town hall.
The judge declared a mistrial in Combs' case. However, Prosecutor David Pascoe said he would seek to try the defendant again after nine out of the 12 jurors wanted to find him guilty.
On Tuesday, another white police officer was charged with misconduct in office after he allegedly shot a 68-year-old black man to death last year, The Associated Press reported.
According to prosecutors, North Augusta officer Justin Craven chased Ernest Satterwhite 9 miles beyond city limits to the Satterwhite's driveway before repeatedly firing through the driver-side door.
In-Depth
- What We Know About White S.C. Cop Charged With Murder
- White Cop Charged With Murder of Fleeing Black Dad of Four
- VIDEO: 'Justice Has Been Served,' Walter Scott's Brother Says
- Alexander Smith
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
