State of emergency declared in US city of Charlotte

North Carolina's governor has declared a state of emergency in the city of Charlotte, after violence erupted during a second night of protests over the police killing of a black man.

Keith Lamont Scott was shot dead by a black officer on Tuesday.

One protester remains in a critical condition after a "civilian on civilian" shooting, police said.

Nine protesters were also injured while police arrested 44 people, according to the police chief.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said charges included looting, failure to disperse and assault.

Five officers also required medical care, including two for minor eye injuries, he added.

Mr. Scott was the third black man killed by US police in a week. Such shootings have sparked nationwide protests.

Riot police in Charlotte used tear gas as they faced hundreds of protesters. The local police department said four officers were injured.

Earlier North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory said he had "initiated efforts" to deploy the National Guard and highway patrol to help deal with the protests.

"Any violence directed toward our citizens or police officers or destruction of property should not be tolerated," he said.

The demonstrators are angry that Mr Scott, 43, was killed by police on Tuesday afternoon at a block of flats in disputed circumstances.

However, the Police in Charlotte has defended their actions in the death of Mr. Scott by insisting he had been repeatedly warned to drop his gun.

Chief Putney told a news conference Mr. Scott first got out of the car with a gun, then got back into his vehicle when officers told him to drop his weapon.

He was shot when he emerged from his car holding his weapon. 

The police chief was unable to say if Mr. Scott had been pointing his weapon at officers.

After her father's death, Mr. Scott's daughter posted a video on Facebook in which she said her father had been unarmed and reading a book.

Mr, Putney said no book was found.

SOURCE: BBC News