Former South Carolina policeman Michael Slager, 35, testified in his own murder trial on Tuesday and recounted the moments that he shot motorist Walter Scott, 50.

Scott fled and was shot 8 times in the back, a bystanders video showed this. The incident flared up after a traffic stop. Scott was said to have ran because he owed child support.

The Huff Post reported:

“My family has been destroyed by this,” said Slager, who recalled missing his son’s birth after being jailed over the shooting. “Scott’s family has been destroyed by this. It’s horrible.”

Dressed in a dark suit, he described how a normal Saturday turned deadly after he stopped Scott for a broken brake light.

Slager said the motorist ran from him, resisting his orders to stop. Slager testified that when he attempted to use a Taser to subdue Scott, they ended up in a scuffle. Scott grabbed his stun gun, the ex-officer said.

Slager said he felt “total fear” as Scott came toward him. He pulled out his gun and opened fire.

“I fired my firearm until the threat was stopped,” he said.

And:

Under cross-examination, a prosecutor accused Slager of changing his story at times. Slager acknowledged that some things clear on the video were not known to him as the incident unfolded.

“My mind was like spaghetti,” he said, noting he was tired after running and fighting Scott on the ground.