I am so angry right now.
The story that Diamond Reynolds has been telling regarding the infamous shooting death of her boyfriend Philando Castile is that the police officer, Jeronimo Yanez, asked for Philando Castile’s license and insurance, Philando Castile reached for his license as he told them that he had a firearm, and the officer panicked and shot him.
The officer was charged with second-degree manslaughter for dangerous discharge of a firearm.
He was acquitted.
Up until now, we have had to take Diamond Reynolds’ word that what she said happened, happened. We have not had dash cam footage.
But the police DID have dash cam footage, and they waited until Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted to release it. Here it is:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jemR7hvla3E[/youtube]
In the video, you can see Yanez coming up to the car and saying, “Your break lights are out,” informing Castile that one break light is out, as Diamond Reynolds claimed.
He then asks for Castile’s license and registration.
Castile gives him a piece of paper that, presumably, are is insurance papers. Castile then, presumably, reaches to get the license the officer had just asked him to get, and then informs the officer, calmly and very politely, that he had a firearm.
The officer says, “Don’t reach for it.”
Castile says, “I’m not reaching for it.”
The officer says, “Don’t pull it out.”
Castile says, “I’m not pulling it out.”
And then the police officer shoots him, point blank, seven times.
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
And after that, he screams, “Don’t pull it out! Don’t move!”
Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend in the passenger seat, states that she isn’t moving. And then she turns on Facebook Live and records this infamous video:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNCbgJ55jQY&t=544s[/youtube]
And last week, the officer was acquitted.
….yeah. Not sure what else to say.
Thanks for reading.