US police officer recorded saying 'we only shoot black people'

A police lieutenant in the US has been moved to administrative duty after being heard on video during a traffic stop in Georgia saying "we only shoot black people".

News outlets said dash-cam video from July 2016 shows a white female driver telling Cobb County police lieutenant Greg Abbott she was scared to move her hands in order to get her mobile phone.

Mr Abbott interrupts her and says: "But you're not black. Remember, we only shoot black people."

Cobb County, Georgia police officer Greg Abbott to nervous white woman at traffic stop: "We only kill black people." pic.twitter.com/Pe9MbjWKfY

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) August 31, 2017

Police chief Mike Register said Mr Abbott will remain on administrative duty pending an investigation, and that "no matter what context it was said, it shouldn't have been said".

Mr Abbott's lawyer Lance LoRusso said in a statement Mr Abbott is co-operating with the investigation, and that his comments were meant to "de-escalate a situation involving an uncooperative passenger".

AP