Latino Officer Jeronimo Yanez Shot & Killed Philando Castile

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On Friday, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) released the names of the two officers involved in the killing of Philando Castile during a traffic stop in Minnesota, and one of them is Latino.

MORE: Minneapolis Cop Fatally Shoots Black Man Philando Castile During Traffic Stop

Officers Jeronimo Yanez and Joseph Kauser pulled over the 32-year-old Black man on Wednesday night because of a broken taillight. The traffic stop escalated when Castile reached in his pocket for his wallet to provide a license, which was asked of him, while alerting the officers that he was carrying a licensed firearm. Yanez, who was standing by the driver’s window, then shot Castile multiple times.

Soon after, Yanez, who is Latino, called for an ambulance. Castile was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Yanez and Kauser are on standard administrative leave. There is an ongoing BCA investigation into the killing.

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About this author

Raquel Reichard, Politics & Culture Editor

Raquel is the Politics & Culture Editor atLatina.com and Latina magazine, writing on all things policy, social justice, cultura and health. Formerly at millennial news site Mic, Raquel's work can also be found at the New York TimesCosmo for Latinas, the Washington Post, the Independent and more. A proud NuyoFloRican chonga, when Raquel's not talking Latina feminism, racial justice, the "x" in Latinx or the prison industrial complex, she's going on and on about the Puerto Rican diaspora in Orlando, Fla. Follow her on TwitterInstagram and Snapchat at @RaquelReichard.

 

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