The man who was riding with Walter Scott the tragic day the father of four was gunned down by Michael Slager in North Charleston, S.C., has briefly broken his silence to address his grief over the death of his “dear friend,” while asking for privacy, the Post and Courier reports.
The man, identified as Pierre Fulton, said that he didn’t understand why Scott ran—only that the 50-year-old didn’t deserve to die.
“Walter was a dear friend, and I miss him every day,” Fulton said in a statement through attorney Mark Peper. “Over the past five years, he helped me to become a better man and showed me the value of hard work. I’ll never know why he ran, but I know he didn’t deserve to die. Please keep Walter and his family in your prayers and respect my privacy moving forward.”
According to the attorney, it is the only statement Fulton will make before any court proceeding, the news site notes.
“We hope this statement is sufficient enough to allow him to continue the healing process in a private manner,” the release continued.
After the fateful shooting, during which Scott was shot at eight times as he attempted to run away, Fulton was held by authorities. He later made a statement to South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division and only revealed his identity late Monday.
Read more at the Post and Courier.