Charleston, April 9 (RHC)-- A white police officer in the U.S. state of South Carolina has been charged with murder after a video showed him shooting an apparently unarmed African-American man who was running away.

The shooting took place last Saturday morning after North Charleston police officer Michael Slager stopped Walter Scott for a broken brake light. Slager is seen shooting at Scott eight times as he runs away.

The North Charleston Police Department had initially defended Slager after he said he feared for his life and claimed Scott had taken his taser weapon. But video showed Slager shot Scott in the back at a distance of about 15 feet. The video also appears to capture Slager planting an object next to Scott. The video does not appear to show Scott in possession of the officer’s stun gun at any time.

Walter Scott was a father of four who served for two years in the U.S. Coast Guard.