Philando Castile was shot dead seconds after a police officer learned he was armed, a police dashboard camera video released publicly on Tuesday verified.
The footage, which appeared on CNN, shows Minnesota police officer, Jeronimo Yanez, speaking to Castile about his break lights, which he deemed un-roadworthy.
He then asked Castile to produce his licence and insurance. Castile responded, saying he had a firearm with him but did not intend to use it.
At that point, Yanez reached for his own firearm and, warning Castile not to touch his own weapon, fired several shots into the vehicle.
Castile’s girlfriend can be heard screaming, "You just killed my boyfriend. He wasn’t reaching for it."
The video footage had been played in Yanez’s trial, but was not publicly released until Tuesday afternoon.
This, combined with the fact that a jury acquitted Yanez of manslaughter on Friday, has rattled the public.
In response to Friday’s court appearance, St. Anthony officials announced that Yanez would not be returning to the police department, noted The Washington Post.
However, many felt this did little to serve justice for Castile in the wake of the emergence of the video footage.
CBS Minnesota quoted Michelle Gross of Communities United Against Police Brutality, who remarked that the officer’s behavior was egregious.
"I was certain that any thinking person who saw this video would recognize that Yanez was guilty of manslaughter and endangering the lives of the two other people in the car, as well," she said. "There is no question in my mind that he just lost it and started shooting."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.