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| Philando Castile Shooting Fits a Pattern of Violence Toward Blacks, Governor Says | Philando Castile Shooting Fits a Pattern of Violence Toward Blacks, Governor Says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ST PAUL — The fatal shooting of a black man by a police officer during a traffic stop fit a longstanding pattern of disparate, unfair and even violent treatment of black people, Minnesota’s governor said Thursday, after millions of people watched the bloody, dying man in a grisly video recorded by his girlfriend and streamed live moments after the shooting. | |
| “Would this have happened if the driver were white, if the passengers were white?” Gov. Mark Dayton asked at a news conference. “I don’t think it would have.” | “Would this have happened if the driver were white, if the passengers were white?” Gov. Mark Dayton asked at a news conference. “I don’t think it would have.” |
| He said he had heard from many black people, including some in positions of authority, about “how they’ve been pulled over, singled out,” in a way that white people would not have. “I’ve been told by very respectable African-American leaders that they understand how this dynamic goes on.” | He said he had heard from many black people, including some in positions of authority, about “how they’ve been pulled over, singled out,” in a way that white people would not have. “I’ve been told by very respectable African-American leaders that they understand how this dynamic goes on.” |
| Mr. Dayton and members of the state’s congressional delegation asked for the Justice Department to investigate the death of Philando Castile, 32, who died hours after the department took over the investigation into the fatal police shooting, also captured on video, of another black man in Baton Rouge, La. The governor said he had spoken with Denis McDonough, the White House chief of staff; Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Obama; and Vanita Gupta, who heads the Justice Department’s civil rights division. | |
| But the department responded that for now, it would monitor the state investigation and offer assistance, rather than conduct its own investigation. | |
| The deadly encounter occurred Wednesday night in the city of Falcon Heights, just northwest of St. Paul. The graphic video from Minnesota showed Mr. Castile, who had been shot several times, slumping toward the woman who was recording the scene. As she did so, her 4-year-old daughter sat in the back seat and an officer stood just outside the driver’s side window, still aiming his gun at the mortally wounded man at point-blank range. | |
| The video is all the more shocking for the calm, clear narration of the woman, Diamond Reynolds, who can be heard saying that Mr. Castile had done nothing wrong, and the fact that she was streaming it live on Facebook. On the video, Ms. Reynolds, who described herself as Mr. Castile’s girlfriend, gives her account of what happened, saying again and again that he was just reaching for his driver’s license and registration — as the officer had requested — when the officer opened fire. | |
| “Please, Officer, don’t tell me that you just did this to him,” she said. “You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir.” | |
| Ms. Reynolds’s daughter appears several times in the video. Near the end of the 10-minute clip, as the two are sitting in the back of a police car and Ms. Reynolds becomes increasingly distraught, the girl comforts her mother. “It’s O.K., Mommy,” she says. “It’s O.K. I’m right here with you.” | Ms. Reynolds’s daughter appears several times in the video. Near the end of the 10-minute clip, as the two are sitting in the back of a police car and Ms. Reynolds becomes increasingly distraught, the girl comforts her mother. “It’s O.K., Mommy,” she says. “It’s O.K. I’m right here with you.” |
| Mr. Obama posted a message on Facebook on Thursday, saying that “all Americans should be deeply troubled” by the Baton Rouge and Falcon Heights shootings. “We’ve seen such tragedies far too many times, and our hearts go out to the families and communities who’ve suffered such a painful loss,” he said. | |
| “What’s clear is that these fatal shootings are not isolated incidents,” Mr. Obama said. “They are symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system, the racial disparities that appear across the system year after year, and the resulting lack of trust that exists between law enforcement and too many of the communities they serve.” | “What’s clear is that these fatal shootings are not isolated incidents,” Mr. Obama said. “They are symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system, the racial disparities that appear across the system year after year, and the resulting lack of trust that exists between law enforcement and too many of the communities they serve.” |
| Hillary Clinton wrote on Twitter: “America woke up to yet another tragedy of a life cut down too soon. Black Lives Matter.” | Hillary Clinton wrote on Twitter: “America woke up to yet another tragedy of a life cut down too soon. Black Lives Matter.” |
| As the video circulated widely on social media, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the governor’s mansion in St. Paul overnight and Thursday, demanding accountability for the officers involved. Some voiced anger that Mr. Dayton did not respond faster; rumors circulated on social media that he had been evacuated from the mansion during the night, but the governor’s office said that was not the case. | As the video circulated widely on social media, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the governor’s mansion in St. Paul overnight and Thursday, demanding accountability for the officers involved. Some voiced anger that Mr. Dayton did not respond faster; rumors circulated on social media that he had been evacuated from the mansion during the night, but the governor’s office said that was not the case. |
| Thirteen hours after the shooting, Mr. Dayton, a Democrat, released his first statement, saying that he had requested a Justice Department investigation. He then emerged from the mansion and talked with protesters. “We’re shocked and horrified by what occurred last night,” he said. “A horrible, horrible tragedy, a senseless tragedy.” | Thirteen hours after the shooting, Mr. Dayton, a Democrat, released his first statement, saying that he had requested a Justice Department investigation. He then emerged from the mansion and talked with protesters. “We’re shocked and horrified by what occurred last night,” he said. “A horrible, horrible tragedy, a senseless tragedy.” |
| The video of the shooting, which occurred around 9 p.m., passed rapidly among Twitter, Facebook and YouTube users, becoming significant news online before traditional news media — even those in the Minneapolis area — caught up. The terms #FalconHeightsShooting and #PhilandoCastile were trending on Twitter as news of the encounter spread. | |
| Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, Ms. Reynolds said that Mr. Castile, a cafeteria supervisor for St. Paul Public Schools, had just come from having his hair done for his birthday when they were pulled over on Larpenteur Avenue, a major east-west thoroughfare. | |
| Falcon Heights is a small, predominantly white and middle-class city of about 5,500 residents, bordering St. Paul. The two officers who stopped them were from the nearby city of St. Anthony, which provides police services under contract to Falcon Heights, and one officer approached Mr. Castile, who was driving, and said he had a broken taillight, Ms. Reynolds said. | |
| “He tells us to put our hands in the air, we have our hands in the air,” she said. “At the time as our hands is in the air, he asked for license and registration. | “He tells us to put our hands in the air, we have our hands in the air,” she said. “At the time as our hands is in the air, he asked for license and registration. |
| “My boyfriend carries all his information in a thick wallet in his right side back pocket. As he’s reaching for his back pocket wallet, he lets the officer know, ‘Officer, I have a firearm on me.’ I began to yell, ‘But he’s licensed to carry.’ After that, he began to take off shots — bah, bah, bah, bah, ‘Don’t move! Don’t move!’ But how can you not move when you’re asking for license and registration? It’s either you want my hands in the air or you want my identification.” | |
| In the video, she says repeatedly that her boyfriend was shot several times while reaching for his license, and that he had told officers before the shooting that he had a gun in the car. | In the video, she says repeatedly that her boyfriend was shot several times while reaching for his license, and that he had told officers before the shooting that he had a gun in the car. |
| In the background, one of the officers can be heard shouting: “I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hands up.” | In the background, one of the officers can be heard shouting: “I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hands up.” |
| The video begins with images of Mr. Castile, who appears to be moaning and moving slightly, his left arm and left side bloody. Ms. Reynolds then pans the camera to her face and says matter-of-factly, “They killed my boyfriend.” Looking into the camera, she says that Mr. Castile had told officers that he was carrying a weapon — she says he was licensed to do so — and that he was following instructions to produce his license and registration when he was shot. | The video begins with images of Mr. Castile, who appears to be moaning and moving slightly, his left arm and left side bloody. Ms. Reynolds then pans the camera to her face and says matter-of-factly, “They killed my boyfriend.” Looking into the camera, she says that Mr. Castile had told officers that he was carrying a weapon — she says he was licensed to do so — and that he was following instructions to produce his license and registration when he was shot. |
| Jon Mangseth, the interim police chief of St. Anthony, said he could not provide any details about the shooting, but said the officer had been put on administrative leave. He declined to identify the officers involved, but said that the one who fired — whom Ms. Reynolds described as Asian-American — had been with the department for more than five years. | |
| “We haven’t had an officer-involved shooting in 30 years or more,” he told reporters at the shooting scene early Thursday. “It’s shocking. It’s not something that occurs in this area often.” | “We haven’t had an officer-involved shooting in 30 years or more,” he told reporters at the shooting scene early Thursday. “It’s shocking. It’s not something that occurs in this area often.” |
| Family members demanded justice for Mr. Castile during an interview on CNN early Thursday. Mr. Castile’s uncle, Clarence Castile, said police officers who were meant to protect Americans had instead become “our executioners and judges and murderers.” | Family members demanded justice for Mr. Castile during an interview on CNN early Thursday. Mr. Castile’s uncle, Clarence Castile, said police officers who were meant to protect Americans had instead become “our executioners and judges and murderers.” |
| When he watched the video, he said, “I saw a young man, shot, helpless — shot for no apparent reason. I saw my nephew shot by a man, clinging to his life with no help. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life.” | When he watched the video, he said, “I saw a young man, shot, helpless — shot for no apparent reason. I saw my nephew shot by a man, clinging to his life with no help. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life.” |
| Mr. Castile’s mother, Valerie Castile, said she had taught her son to be extremely cautious when encountering members of law enforcement. “If you get stopped by the police, comply,” Ms. Castile said. “Comply, comply, comply.” | Mr. Castile’s mother, Valerie Castile, said she had taught her son to be extremely cautious when encountering members of law enforcement. “If you get stopped by the police, comply,” Ms. Castile said. “Comply, comply, comply.” |
| “My son was a law-abiding citizen, and he did nothing wrong,” she said. “He’s no thug.” | |
| She added, “I think he was just black in the wrong place.” | She added, “I think he was just black in the wrong place.” |
| Mr. Castile had worked in the nutrition services department of St. Paul Public Schools since 2002, and became a supervisor two years ago, the district said in a statement. In recent years, he worked at J. J. Hill Montessori Magnet School, which is part of the district. | |
| “Colleagues describe him as a team player who maintained great relationships with staff and students alike,” the district’s statement said. “He had a cheerful disposition and his colleagues enjoyed working with him. He was quick to greet former co-workers with a smile and hug.” | “Colleagues describe him as a team player who maintained great relationships with staff and students alike,” the district’s statement said. “He had a cheerful disposition and his colleagues enjoyed working with him. He was quick to greet former co-workers with a smile and hug.” |
| In the Facebook video shot by Ms. Reynolds — who uses the name Lavish Reynolds online — her voice shaking, she says: “Oh, my God, please don’t tell me he’s gone. Please don’t tell me my boyfriend just went like that.” | |
| Then: “Please, Jesus, don’t tell me that he’s gone. Please, Officer, don’t tell me that you just did this to him.” Ms. Reynolds was interviewed by the police and then released. | Then: “Please, Jesus, don’t tell me that he’s gone. Please, Officer, don’t tell me that you just did this to him.” Ms. Reynolds was interviewed by the police and then released. |
| Mr. Castile was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he died Wednesday night, Chief Mangseth said. No officers were injured, he said. | Mr. Castile was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he died Wednesday night, Chief Mangseth said. No officers were injured, he said. |