Real Crime/Paranormal/Conspiracy Theories Book III

The Killing of Philando Castile

On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a32-year-old African American man, was fatally shot during a trafficstop by Hispanic police officer Jeronimo Yanez of the St. Anthonypolice department in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.

Castile was driving with hisgirlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and her four-year-old daughter when at9:00 p.m. he was pulled over by Yanez and another officer in FalconHeights, a suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota. ] After being asked forhis license and registration, Castile told Officer Yanez that he hada firearm (Castile was licensed to carry) to which Yanez replied,"Don't reach for it then", and Castile said "I'm,I, I was reaching for..." Yanez said "Don't pull itout", Castile replied "I'm not pulling it out",and Reynolds said "He's not..." Yanez repeated"Don't pull it out". Yanez then fired sevenclose-range shots at Castile, hitting him five times. Castile diedof his wounds at 9:37 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center, about20 minutes after being shot.

Reynolds posted a live stream video onFacebook in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, and the incidentquickly gained international interest. Local and national protestsformed, and five months after the incident, Yanez was charged withsecond-degree manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of afirearm. After five days of deliberation, he was acquitted of allcharges in a jury trial on June 16, 2017. After the verdict, Yanezwas immediately fired by the City of Saint Anthony. Wrongful deathlawsuits against the City brought by Reynolds and Castile's familywere settled for a total of $3.8 million.

Persons involved

Philando Castile

Philando Divall Castile (July 16, 1983– July 6, 2016) was 32 years old at the time of his death. He wasborn in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from Saint Paul CentralHigh School in 2001 and worked for the Saint Paul Public SchoolDistrict from 2002 until his death. Castile began as a nutritionservices assistant at Chelsea Heights Elementary School and ArlingtonHigh School (now Washington Technology Magnet School). He waspromoted to nutrition services supervisor at J. J. Hill MontessoriMagnet School, in August 2014. Prior to the shooting, Castile hadbeen stopped by the police at least 49 times in 13 years for minortraffic and equipment violations, the majority of which weredismissed.

Jeronimo Yanez

Jeronimo Yanez was the officer who shotCastile. The other officer involved in the traffic stop was JosephKauser, who was described as Yanez's partner. Both officers had beenwith the St. Anthony Police Department for four years at the time ofthe shooting, and were longtime friends who had graduated togetherfrom the Minnesota State University, Mankato, police academy in 2010.

Yanez, of South St. Paul and ofHispanic descent, was 28 years old at the time of the shooting.

The St. Anthony Police Department had23 officers at the time. Eight officers were funded through policingcontracts with the cities of Lauderdale and Falcon Heights. In apress briefing at the scene, St. Anthony's interim police chief JonMangseth said that the shooting was the first officer-involvedshooting that the department had experienced in at least thirtyyears.