A South Carolina police officer was arrested and charged with murder on Tuesday in the killing of an unarmed black man that occurred over the weekend.

Video footage recorded by a bystander shows the victim, 50-year-old Walter Lamar Scott, running for his life while Officer Michael Slager, 33, fired eight shots, fatally striking him in the back.

The incident began Saturday morning when Slager pulled Scott over during a traffic stop in North Charleston. According to a police report, Scott did not comply with the officer's demands and allegedly tried to take Slager's stun gun.

While it remains unclear why Scott decided to run away from the white cop, his relatives say they believe he was running because he was being tased.

The Scott family's attorney also noted on Tuesday that the victim had a warrant out for his arrest stemming from outstanding child support payments, which may have prompted him to take flight.

Regardless of the situation, "running from an officer doesn't result in the death penalty," said the Scott family attorney Chris Stewart during an interview with CNN's Don Lemon.

During the interview, Scott's brother, Anthony, described him as an "outgoing" father of four who served in the Coast Guard.

"He was outgoing -- loved everybody, (was) very known in the community and got along with everybody," said Anthony. "All the family loves him, and his kids loved him."

Scott added that his brother was backed up child support, but that he wasn't prone to violence.

Scott's mother also said her son was a God-fearing man who was raised in the church.

"I pray that this doesn't happen to another person. This has got to stop," she told ABC's Good Morning America.

Like Scott, Slager also served in the U.S. Coast Guard before he joined the North Charleston Police Department in 2009, reports ABC News. According to documents released by the force, Slager was previously exonerated over a complaint about improper use of force in 2013. In that case, a man alleged Slager had used his Taser for no reason and slammed him to the ground in September 2013. Slager, however, was exonerated following an investigation.

Slager's attorney David Aylor released a statement saying that the officer believed he had followed appropriate procedure. Later onTuesday, Aylor announced that he was no longer representing Slager, who has two stepchildren and a baby on the way.

Watch video of the incident below. Warning: It is graphic.