North Charleston police officer charged with murder
A police officer has been charged with murder following a shooting in North Charleston, The New York Times reported.
Michael T. Slager fatally shot Walter L. Scott, 50, after he fled from a traffic stop. Slager used his Taser and stun gun before firing on Scott.
Slager said that he feared for his life because Scott took his stun gun in a scuffle that occurred. A video surfaced showing that Slager fired at Scott eight times as Scott fled.
At the time of the gunfire, Scott appears to be 15 to 20 feet away from Slager and running in the opposite direction. SLED is investigating the shooting.
— Kevin Smarr, Assistant News Editor
Illinois State athletic staffers killed in plane crash
Illinois State University associate men's head basketball coach and deputy athletic director have died after a small plane crash, the Associated Press reported.
A private plane, which was returning from the NCAA basketball tournament, crashed in a central Illinois field on Tuesday. The plane crash killed all seven people on board.
Illinois State University President Larry Dietz confirmed in an email to students, faculty and staff that Torrey Ward, associate head basketball coach, and Aaron Leetch, deputy athletic director, were killed in the crash.
The plane took off from Indianapolis and crashed short of the Central Illinois Airport in Bloomington. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
— Kevin Smarr, Assistant News Editor
SC State students file lawsuit against South Carolina
Present and former South Carolina State University students are suing the state and the Commission on Higher Education, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuit states that duplicating South Carolina State’s programs at other universities hurts enrollment at the historically black school. Lawmakers haven’t given the school money to match federal grants and funds available for land-grant institutions according to U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn.
Clyburn also alleged that Clemson, the state’s other land-grant school, always gets such money. The state and the Commission on Higher Education have until April 16 to respond to the lawsuit.