Today marks the 8th anniversary of the senseless killing of a great man and brother. Philando Castile was an African-American man who was fatally shot by cowardly racist police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, on July 6, 2016.
Castile was a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria supervisor who had a permit to carry a firearm. He was driving with his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and their 4-year-old daughter when Yanez pulled him over for a broken taillight.
During the stop, Castile informed Yanez that he was carrying a gun and had a permit. Yanez then shot Castile seven times, killing him. Reynolds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook, which sparked nationwide protests and renewed scrutiny of police shootings of African-Americans. Yanez was charged with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm. He was acquitted of all charges on June 16, 2017. Castile’s death became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement, and his name has become synonymous with the issue of police brutality.
Since his tragic killing, many artist have paid tribute to his memory, including the Minneapolis Museum of Art.
