In video, girl begs mother for quiet after Castile shooting

A transcript released Tuesday by Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reveals that former officer Jeronimo Yanez originally told investigators he shot Philando Castile seven times because the smell of marijuana made him fear for his life.

The jarring footage captures the fateful exchange between Philando Castile, a 32-year-old black motorist, and police officer Jeronimo Yanez in an incident that sparked nationwide protests last year.

Castile had a permit for the weapon, and prosecutors questioned whether Yanez ever saw it.

After the shooting, Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter were put in a squad auto.

Diamond told her daughter that she wouldn’t get shot and that she would take her handcuffs off.

Yanez was acquitted by a jury on charges of manslaughter and risky discharge of a firearm – sparking outrage in the community as well as with civil rights organizations across the nation.

“It is a sad state of affairs when this type of criminal conduct is condoned simply because Yanez is a policeman”, Ms Reynolds said. Castile’s family claimed he was profiled because of his race, and the shooting renewed concerns about how police officers interact with minorities. Castile was legally carrying a gun and told Yanez about it.

“Mom, please don’t scream ’cause I don’t want you to get shooted!”

But Reynolds, who live streamed the immediate moments after her boyfriend was shot on Facebook, told authorities that he was only reaching for his wallet.

“I will continue to say murder”, she said.

The verdict in the police killing of Philando Castile, a St. Louis native killed in suburban Minneapolis last July, triggered more pain and anger in those of us who went through Ferguson and, indeed, most of Black America. You’re supposed to say “Officer, I have a handgun in the glove box”, and explain that it’s licensed.

“I wish this town was safer”, the little girl says.

In a felony stop, Yanez would not have been right next to Castile’s auto interacting so closely.

He said he pulled Castile over because, he “appeared to match the physical description of … one of our suspects from the strongarm robbery, gunpoint”.

Diamond Reynolds’ daughter hugs her after the Philando Castile shooting.

On Friday, jurors sided with Mr Yanez’s version of events, acquitting him of one count of second degree manslaughter and two counts of intentional discharge of firearm that endangers safety.

“I won’t lie to you, when I watched this video, it broke me”, Noah said. Just an indictment. Just get us in front of a jury. “Seeing the child-that little girl-getting out of the auto after watching a man get killed, it broke my heart into little pieces”.