Another video has surfaced from the shooting of Philando Castile, this time showing the daughter of his fiancé begging her mother to cooperate with police so she doesn’t lose her life.
The video was included in the bevy of evidence released to the public on Tuesday (June 20), with dash-cam footage was showing Officer Jeronimo Yanez shooting Castile seven times during the July 2016 traffic stop. Five of the bullets struck Castile, killing him.
After the shooting, Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter were put in a squad car. Reynolds, who was handcuffed, is seen consoled by her daughter. In the blurry black and white video, the child is heard pleading for her mother to cooperate with police so that she doesn’t have the same fate as her slain stepfather.
“Mom, please stop cussing and screaming because I don’t want you to get shooted,” she said. After a few positive affirmations by Reynolds her daughter says, “I can keep you safe.”
The strong and courageous child then wishes for the violence to end. “I wish this town was safer. [We wouldn’t] live like this. I don’t want it to be like this anymore.”
Yanez was acquitted of all charges–manslaughter and dangerous discharge of a firearm– in the death of Castile last week. During the week-long trial, Yanez said the smell of marijuana lead him to fear for his life. During her testimony, Reynolds said after Castile informed Yanez of his registered handgun and went to grab his wallet when he was shot. Her live-stream of the moments after the shooting was seen on Facebook and around the world.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s file of evidence also features interviews from Yanez and Reynolds, sharing their separate accounts of the shooting. Another audio clip includes Reynolds’ reaction after hearing of Castile’s death. “He took him away from us,” she said. “It’s not fair. … Please get me out of here.” She also explained that Castile carried the gun due to the high amount of violence in their area.