The Charlotte police officer who shot and killed Keith Lamont Scott 'acted lawfully' and will not face any charges in a case that set off several nights of unrest in the city.

A North Carolina prosecutor announced the decision on Wednesday morning while presenting new footage suggesting Scott had gun in a holster attached to his ankle - even though his family have maintained he wasn't armed.

Scott's death on September 20 was officially ruled a homicide, and an independent autopsy ordered by his revealed the 43-year-old was shot in the back and abdomen.

But Charlotte's District Attorney Andrew Murray said it wasn't enough for his office to charge officer Brentley Vinson.

Lamont's family have called for peace in response to the controversial decision, but activist groups have hinted there could be a backlash in Charlotte.

Meanwhile Scott's daughter, Lyric Scott, took to her Facebook to slam the outcome, calling the police 'pigs' and writing: 'I Didn't Know That Baggy Sweat Pants Meant You Had A Gun Holster.'

Cleared of any charges: Charlotte-Mecklenburg officer Brentley Vinson, 26 (right), will not be charged with the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott (left), it was announced Wednesday

New evidence: Police used nearby CCTV footage taken 'moments' before the shooting to show that Scott had a gun in an ankle holster underneath his jeans

Scene: Scott, 43 was shot dead by a Charlotte, North Carolina, police officer on September 20

Vinson, 26, who is black, pulled the trigger and killed Scott, who was also black, when he refused to drop a gun, according to the prosecutor's account of the shooting.

There was also video of the shooting on a cell phone and police body camera footage, however officials said Vinson was not wearing a camera at the time.

Murray made the announcement Wednesday that no charges will be brought against Vinson.

'It is my opinion that Officer Vinson acted lawfully when he shot Mr. Scott,' Murray said at a news conference.

A team of 15 career prosecutors made the decision unanimously based on the legal definition of what justifies the use of deadly force for self-defense, NBC reported.

'The same legal standards apply to both private citizens and police officers,' he said.

'[But] police are sometimes required to run toward, rather than away, from dangerous situations to protect the public.'

'He acted lawfully': Andrew Murray, Mecklenburg County district attorney, announced the decision at a press conference on Wednesday in Charlotte

Police said that Scott had an ankle holster (top) with a stolen handgun in it (bottom) at the time of the shooting. Scott's family have maintained he was not armed

For the first time since Scott's death, investigators produced what they called evidence that he was armed at the time of the shooting.

CCTV footage taken from a nearby convenience store 'moments' before the shooting shows Scott walking with a bulge around his right ankle, where police say he was concealing a weapon.

Police also said that an ankle holster and handgun were recovered from the scene.

A lab analysis on the gun showed that Scott's DNA and fingerprints were on it, investigators said.

Despite the prosecutor's announcement, the case is still not completely closed.

Charles Monnett, who represents Scott's family, said the family still have questions that need to be answered and are now considering a lawsuit.

Another family attorney, Justin Bamberg, said the prosecutor's decision against criminal charges doesn't mean the shooting was right.

The family's lawyers also asked that if people protest, they do it lawfully and peacefully.

Immediately after the decision was announced this morning, demonstrators took to Twitter under the hashtag 'Charlotte Uprising', suggesting a protest in the city tonight.

Call for peace: The family of Keith Lamont Scott, including his wife Rakeyia Scott (right) have asked that any protestors do so peacefully and lawfully

Emotional: Rakeyia Scott wipes away tears at a press conference Wednesday after finding out charges would not be filed against CMPD officer Brentley Vinson

Daughter: Lyric Scott, the victim's daughter, slammed police as 'pigs' on her Facebook page after the ruling was announced

Miss Scott posted multiple comments to her Facebook about the outcome on Wednesday

Scott's daughter made multiple posts on Facebook, however later deleted a comment calling the police 'pigs'.

'I Didn't Know That Baggy Sweat Pants Meant You Had A Gun Holster,' she wrote in one post, adding in another: 'These F*****s Are Lying.'

A later post read: 'NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE.'

Scott was sitting in his vehicle at an apartment complex when he was confronted by police, who at the time were searching for another suspect.

Police video showed officers shouting for Scott to drop a gun numerous times. Scott's family have maintained that he was not armed.

Vinson said he saw Scott rolling a marijuana joint and holding a gun, and fired at him out of concern for public safety. Murray said Wednesday that Scott had a 'hazed' look in his eyes when he was told to drop the weapon.

Vinson made a split-second decision to open fire, Murray added.

'No one, and I mean no one, should ever experience, let alone witness, the violent death of a loved one,' he said.

Forensic pathologist Kim Collins said Scott's cause of death 'is best deemed homicide'

No one will be criminally charged in the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott, pictured left. He is seen here with his wife, Rakeyia



The case gained national attention after Scott's wife, Rakeyia, shared cellphone video she took of the moments leading up to the killing, in which she begs officers not to shoot her husband.

'He doesn't have a gun. He has a TBI [traumatic brain injury],' Rakeyia is hear saying in the video. 'He's not going to do anything to you guys. He just took his medicine.'

Widow: Rakeiya Scott does not believe that officer Vinson was the one who fired

Vinson was not wearing a body camera at the time of the shooting, and none of the videos released actually show Scott with a gun.

Scott's family have not commented on the latest decision, however Murray said they had been informed.

'As you can imagine, it was a difficult discussion. However, the family was extremely gracious,' Murray said.

'No one, and I mean no one, should ever experience, let alone witness, the violent death of a loved one.'

In a controversial interview with CBS This Morning in October, Rakeiya Scott said she did not believe that officer Vinson was the one that shot her husband, and that the Charlotte Police Department had to gain by claiming that a black officer was the shooter.

Rakeiya Scott also stated in the televised interviewed she believed her husband's shooting was '100 per cent' motivated by race.

Mrs Scott said Keith was on 11 different medications after a motorcycle accident in November 2015.

Scott's shooting caused several days of unrest in Charlotte. Above, protesters confront officers

He was in the hospital for two months after the collision, and suffered severe head injuries that affected his behavior until his dead.

Describing the day her husband was killed, she said: 'He's just sitting in the car. He's just sitting there, looking forward. He's confused. I know he was. He'd just taken his medicine.

'He had no gun. He was not a threat. He was just not a threat, period. He didn't have a gun, he wasn't a threat.

'I saw this incident unfold before my face. What people don't seem to understand, they're trying to bring in our past, but prior to - I mean, after November the 2nd, after this accident, after his motorcycle accident and when he returned home in January, he was a totally different person.'