Killing of Philando Castile

On the evening of July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African American man who worked as a nutrition services supervisor for the Saint Paul Public School District, was driving with his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter when he was pulled over in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, a suburb of Saint Paul. The stop was conducted by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez and his partner, Joseph Kauser, ostensibly for a broken brake light, though a radio transmission before the stop indicated an officer thought Castile resembled a suspect in a recent armed robbery. Subsequent investigation ruled out Castile as a suspect in that robbery.

According to police dashcam footage, Castile calmly informed Yanez that he had a firearm and was licensed to carry it. Yanez told him not to reach for it or pull it out; Castile and Reynolds both stated he was not pulling it out. Yanez then drew his own weapon and fired seven shots in rapid succession, striking Castile five times, including twice in the heart. Castile was pronounced dead at 9:37 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center, roughly 20 minutes after being shot. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide from multiple gunshot wounds.

Reynolds live-streamed the aftermath on Facebook, a video viewed millions of times within a day and shown internationally, sparking widespread protests, including demonstrations and clashes with police in St. Paul that led to more than 100 arrests. The incident drew statements from Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, President Barack Obama, members of Congress, and civil rights organizations, as well as international travel advisories from several governments.

Following an investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi charged Yanez in November 2016 with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm, stating that Castile had been compliant, was not resisting, and had voluntarily disclosed his firearm. At trial, Yanez testified he believed he saw Castile's firearm before firing, a claim not consistently made in his earlier statements to investigators, in which he described only an indistinct object. On June 16, 2017, after five days of deliberation, a 12-member jury acquitted Yanez of all charges. He was immediately fired by the City of St. Anthony, later receiving a separation payment of $48,500.

The acquittal prompted further protests, with roughly 2,000 demonstrators marching and blocking Interstate 94, resulting in 18 arrests. Castile's family, along with Reynolds, pursued wrongful death claims against the city, which were ultimately settled for a total of $3.8 million. In the aftermath, the Falcon Heights community voted to end its policing contract with St. Anthony. Castile's death led to the creation of a memorial scholarship and the Philando Castile Relief Foundation, which funds school lunch debt relief in his memory, reflecting Castile's own practice of paying for students' lunches during his years working in Saint Paul schools.