South Carolina State Trooper Pleads Guilty To Shooting Unarmed Black Man

A white South Carolina trooper pleaded guilty on Monday to shooting an unarmed black man during a traffic stop recorded on the officer's dash cam.

Sean Groubert, 32, could be sentenced to 20 years in prison for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. He fired multiple shots at Levar Jones and struck him once in the hip at a gas station in 2014.

Jones survived the shooting and limped into court to hear Groubert enter the guilty plea.

Groubert pulled Jones over on Sept. 4, 2014, for an alleged seat belt violation.

The dash cam footage showed Groubert ask Jones for his license, but when Jones reached for it, the officer shouted, “Get out of the car.”

Then Groubert quickly fired off four rounds. Jones’ wallet flew out of his hands during the gunfire.

“Why did you shoot me?” Jones said, clearly in pain.

“You dove head first back into your car,” Groubert replied.

The officer was fired on Sept. 19, 2014, after the South Carolina Department of Public Safety reviewed the video.

Jones reached a settlement of $265,000 with the state of South Carolina in October 2014.