Trigger warning What is your opinion on the Philando Castile shooting? I just saw a recording of his 4 year old telling…

Update: I know it's not really justice or anything but i read yesterday (Tuesday) the family got a $3mil settlement.

I cry every time I read about this... just standing there not knowing what was going on. It happened in my neighborhood and the dreams I've had about it keep me up at night sometimes. That cop is GUILTY AS CHARGED and everyone knows it

The whole thing is just a mess honestly. He should have been tried separately for each charge. The fact that his partner, who was also by the car from what i saw on a clip of the video (couldnt watch it, i hear too much about it living in the cities myself), didn't feel as threatened and also stated that he used too much force. The fact he shot him 7 times, not once or twice, but 7 times is definitely too much. He almost hit that 4 year old girl if she had been a couple inches over. Maybe something would have stuck, i know families don't like to carry long trials but they would have had more of a chance to get justice.

Then we have our governor who agrees that it wouldnt have happened if he was white, and that it shoudnt have happened at all.

Wow this is the 1st i heard of this I just watched that video pp shared and that was so hard to even watch! I can't believe that cop just shot so many times & that poor baby & this woman right there in the car! How the hell was his gf so calm to video and talk in the video like that?! I don't think i coulda kept myself together like that i would've been losing my s*** probably screaming! I don't we even know what i would've done Omg! I can't even imagine! ??

He should have been charged with murder. Maybe in the 2nd degree but definitely not just a slap on the wrist.

I know it's ridiculous. And the cop lied in court. He said he was reaching for a gun on his hip. Then changed his statement to he didn't know where the gun was located.

And the fact that he pulled him over for having a "wide set nose" like the suspect. He's trash.

Ok he was asked for his license and registration. He hands him the registration/insurance and then tells him he has a gun. The cop says don't reach for it. He said. "I'm not. Then goes to reach for his wallet for his license. That's when the cop yells again don't reach for it. He said I'm not again. The fiancé also said that. Then he was shot. After he is shot he quietly says I wasn't reaching for it. So he hasn't actually gotten his license yet that's why he was getting his wallet.

That's what I saw pp.

The live video that I seen which was shot from a different angle. It was shot from the passengers seat. He was asked to get his licence and states he was reaching for his wallet and is shot.

He told him he had a gun and the cop asked him for his license and registration. He said he was getting his wallet. The cop knew he was reaching for his wallet. His wife even said in the video you asked him to get his wallet for his license. That's what he was doing.

He DID have further instructions. That's the thing.

In some instances I've seen cops yell "stop resisting" when the person isn't even resisting. It like by yelling that they are justifying themselves to be rough. He yelled to not reach for the gun (knowing the man was just getting his wallet because that's what the cop asked him to do) it's almost like he yelled that to the recording could pick it up so he could justify himself shooting this innocent man.

I saw the dashcam footage earlier and I'm appalled at what happened to this young man

So what do you tell your kids, especially your sons? I'm white, raising black children. I have never been pulled over for "driving while black" or stopped and frisked simple because I'm black and male-but my husband has. And chances are my son will be. I can't teach my children to comply because obeying law enforcements instructions and being polite clearly doesn't protect you from being killed. I can't teach them to defend themselves because then they're resisting. I can't tell them to act normally because they've done nothing wrong, because that's no longer good enough. How do you teach your children to be wary and respectful? How do you tach them that not all cops are bad and yet don't trust that every cop you meet is a good guy? How do you teach necessary strength to fight and yet not complete defiance against a system that will not treat them fairly?

I worry about my husband, brothers, and kids everyday. All I can do is warn my children and built up their self esteem as high as it can go. So, they know they are never less than anyone. I seriously wish I could keep my kids at home forever! I will not even let my son's play with toy guns cause I fear for their lives.

Exactly, PP! What more is there to know or see? Everything we have seen points to this being a murder by an over zealous, racist, incompetent (former) cop who pulled a black male over simply because a "wide set nose" made him look like a suspect. In what world is that okay?! In what world can anyone even attempt to justify that?! It's complete and utter BS and anyone who looks at all of this and has common sense knows this entire situation is facked up!

Are there good law enforcement officers? Yes, but the bad ones seem to keep coming right on through the cracks and getting off every single time. I wish people would stop with the cop apologist non sense with this case. That guy was a damn coward who should have never been allowed to serve the public.

I'd just like to know where the NRA has been hiding with this case, and their strong beliefs regarding "the right to bear arms." To my knowledge, they have said NOTHING.

Why do people always say "we don't know the full story" ?

WE KNOW EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW.

Yes pp but we can take what the cop said and get a pretty good idea that he overreacted.

You know what's not speculation?

1. The cop said said this man was reaching for his gun. Then he changed it to him not knowing where the gun was located.

2. he informed the officer he had a gun. And I'm sorry someone who discloses that they have a gun in the car has no intentions of shooting the cop. Or else he wouldn't have told him he had a gun.

3. The cop shot him 7 times. 7 TIMES! Even if he was reaching for his gun to inflict harm once or twice in the chest would've been sufficient. That cop unloaded his gun on this man on purpose!

4. He pulled over the man because he "looked" like a suspect in a robbery.

The cop said he had reason to pull him over because of his wide set nose. And obviously he was black like the suspect but the cop didn't say that. Because if he was white the wide set nose wouldn't have mattered.

This cop is a racist and a murderer.

It's still speculation. There is no body camera evidence that I know of nor have I seen bystander's videos. I'm not playing sides, I'm just saying we weren't able to witness what really happened, it's all opinions. Maybe he did have his hands on the steering wheel, maybe he didn't. What we do know is a father is dead and a child had to witness that. Thankfully his partner was right there to grab the child, they didn't need to be more traumatized than they already were.

What bothers me the most about these shootings with children present.

Is the fact that the police are placing innocent children in endangerment situations, and causing trauma to these children by actually killing or harming their parents infront of them!! The police are morally wrong for that period!!!! There really is no justification on their part on that alone.

Its fcked up that individuals of the African-American cultures are mostly getting shot out there. It really does seem to be more targeting going on, and its sickening to me. I mean this happens to many cultures internationally as well. But come on now, the increase of violence is quite obvious that it was intentional that the victim's in these cases are being targeted.

I guess were going through another Hitler phase?? I really don't know anymore...but its still sick, morally wrong and its very disturbing in the world we live in.

Just to add, i completely understand how these shootings can cause deep distrust...and i honestly wouldn't blame the African-American community for feeling distrust in law enforcement officers. It's just been too much shootings and violence and it hasn't stopped! So yeah i can definitely understand!!!

It's so sad how many mommas on this post have expressed how they fear for their black children growing up in America the way it is. I fear for my son too, and my husband, brothers, father. I'll one day have to teach my sweet little boy that when, not if but when, he encounters law enforcement to make sure that he completely complies, no matter how wrong the situation may seem, how degrading, how unwarranted. I'll have to tell him not to make any sudden movements or you could be shot like Philando, definitely do not run away because you could be shot in the back like Walter, don't carry a weapon because even in handcuffs you can be a considered a threat and shot like Alton, never resist arrest or you could be choked to death like Eric and the worst part is your killer will NOT be convicted. In fact, you'll be dead but you'll really be the one on trial. It's sad that this is the norm.

@lkirchy not one person on this thread said whites were the only racists. Obviously anyone can be racists. There is no speculation. What happened is as clear as day. The cop is a coward who "feared" someone specifically because they are black. Period.

People who have positions of authority and abuse them are part of the reason we have these issues. So sad. I cannot believe 7 shots were fired. Really. That's so much ammunition.

This is why I want body cams so people can stop speculating. FYI the cop was not white for those thinking white people are the only racists.

Its disgusting and the crazy part is it's NOT surprising that he got away Scott free. All I can think about My husband and my son...I worry about them every time they leave my sight ? I won't let my husband walk home from work by himself. I'm constantly checking for them when we go to the store. Why? Because they are black. My son is not even two yet and I'm terrified for his future.My heart is broken for not only my child but every single parent who fears for their child's life because of their skin.

Yeah kelly I updated my comment. Can't believe it! What a sad, scary world we live in. Even cops are cold blooded killers...

@ Whoos who

The jury did watch the video and requested more documents from the hearing but the judge refused

I never heard of this ? this is heartbreaking ?

"Pro cop" what's that even mean?? Pro you can shoot whoever the hell you want?? There needs to be updated training or something with officers? There are a lot of good ones but way to many bad ones slip through the cracks. He didn't do anything wrong and still got shot 7 times, in front of his family to make matters worse. I don't understand how he could be found innocent.

From what I read the jury didn't even watch the dash cam video! The cops statement after it happened omitted very important details of how it happened. They literally just listened to his side. I honestly think he should go to prison & I hope they can take this to federal court (new evidence being the video if it wasn't played to the jury).

Edit* it was viewed by the jury :(. Idiots said they had reasonable doubt bc the officer said that the victim had his hand on his gun, while he also contradicted himself when he said he did not know where the gun was located. Sickening, but so glad they're taking him to federal court and I hope something is done to this officer, because it's about damn time to stand up against racism and discrimination!

Cop should've gotten charged , USA is full of injustice specifically when it comes to white police officers and minority groups . Had it been the other way around P.C would've been charged with murder.

Sad to say this is becoming the new norm , cop kills people nothing happens .

Makes you wonder what else they have gotten away with.

I think it took a lot for the governor to make that statement and say that if the people in the car were white it probably wouldn't have happened the way it did.

That takes heart and goes to show they aren't going to let this slide .

I couldn't watch the video and I don't want to?

I wonder what would happen if it was a black cop and the guy he killed in the same manner, using the same excuse, was white?

So i have actually driven down that same road in the exact same area and got pulled over because my "license plate light was out" ok fine right? so i go to fix it and it was on just fine nothing wrong with it. so i think they do make excuses to pull ppl over in that particular area and i haven't watched nor will i watch the video its sad

Minnesotan here. This is about a half hour from my hometown.

That cop deserves to be in jail.

He DID disclose his weapon and the fact that the defense and others are trying to use THC (only because of the autopsy results, mind you. That's not why he was pulled over) as a justification for being shot is utter crap.

If you think pot is going to make someone want to shoot a cop you need to better educate yourself on it. Plus, let's be real Philando was a law abiding, gun carrying black man. I highly doubt he would proceed to move in a way, with his family in the car, so as to jeopardize his own or his families safety. He hadn't recently smoked prior to the encounter, they were on their way home from the grocery store to make dinner and get ready for bed.

He didn't act erratically, the cop changed his story from his first interview to the witness stand and if you get that scared from someone LEGALLY carrying a gun you should have never been a cop in the first place.

It's crap, the whole defense argument was garbage and that man is a murderer. Watch the dashcam. The fact he fired into a car with a CHILD in the backseat is disgusting. If you can see that video and justify what the police officer did to that innocent man something is wrong with you.

The cop was wrong. A murderer is free, and a innocent man is dead.

St. Anthony (the city he worked for) refused to allow him back on the police force because they know he should've never been a cop in the first place. Plus the community fallout would be tremendous.

It truly sickens me and the video of the little girl and the mom brought me to tears. Her mom was so strong and held it together as much as she could. I honestly would of been lost it and there is a special place in hell for that cop. Every single day I worry about my husband and family safety.

This case hurts my heart so badly. Each one we see has my emotions all wound up, but this one hurt me right to my very core. I didn't even sleep the night I saw the video. Hearing that baby girl tell her mom "it's okay, I'm right here" gutted me. I often imagine looking at my own sweet baby girl after witnessing something like that, and it brings tears to my eyes and makes me feel like I'm being kicked in the stomach over and over. Neither one of them will ever be the same, and it is an injustice that this man was not convicted. He should be serving out a death sentence in prison like other murderers, but nope! He's walking around a free citizen. I don't care that his life will never be the same because he ruined the lives of countless people. A hearty eff you to him, and I hope he can never sleep without Philando Castile haunting his every dream.

Yes meeks????????

If you are jumpy and easily scared then you don't need to be a cop. Damn don't they test these people? I'm not bashing all cops. But some of these cops are just ridiculous.

Queen ?????????? so much yes! There is NO justifying it, end of story.

My opinion is another innocent man was killed by a racist, unfit cop and the system is so screwed up for not finding him guilty. I feel sick thinking about the injustice.

@queen ?? yes!!!!

This situation is absolutely horrendous, and the gall of anyone trying to even remotely justify this man murdering an innocent man in cold blood is a coldhearted MF. There's no way to justify this murder, and I'm sick of people not calling it what it is, which is a cold blooded murder by a scary ass former cop. If you're that afraid, your ass doesn't need to be on the force.

His use of force was unjust, and his reaction was over the top. Someone tells you they have a firearm and you jump up and shoot them numerous times with hard evidence as to your over zealous reaction that causes you to murder an innocent citizen and you walk away scot free?! What kind of justice is that?! It's the kind of "justice" that blacks in America are used to seeing, and I'm sick of this shat. I'm so tired of being a ball of nerves every single time my brother leaves his house, I'm tired of being close to tears if my father doesn't answer the phone fast enough, and I'm tired of even having to imagine possibly explaining to my daughter one day that her father was murdered by someone that is supposed to protect us when he was doing nothing wrong, he was simply being a black man in America who had the nerve to be out doing something like every other free citizen in the US. It's BS.

That sentence is kind of appalling.

Let me rephrase myself. That sentence is horrible.

"just 1 pro cop guy like my hubby would've made any trial a mistrial." wow that sentence makes me want to throw up.

Coming back after reading and watching more on this. My honest opinion is this was second degree murder. A cop was scared (although I don't understand why as the victim plainly stated he had a firearm and was not reaching for it) and fatally shot an innocent man in front of his family.

And also the thc in his system could've been inactive. Did they test that? They are called historical metabolites and present metabolites to determine if the person recently used marijuana. Either way this is jut another thing that will make this innocent man out to be the bad guy because he was black and had thc in his system. It's disgusting.

No, filterless, hes a first responder and he sees it from both sides. I agree a person who was a threat wouldn't have disclosed having a gun, thats why the cop should have taken a step back and slowed down. I think he should have been convicted simply because he reacted too quickly and put the other ppl in the car in danger. Much like the jury we can only judge from what we can see and hear on the tapes, im not saying your wrong.

Whether he had his hands on the steering wheel or not. He DID tell the cop he had a gun. Now why would someone planning to shoot a cop tell him politely he had a gun prior to shooting him? That's nonsense. The cop was out of line. And that child will be scarred for the rest of her life. And his fiancé. I am disgusted this man wasn't found guilty.

So much evil in this world and, we lose the sweet man who worked in an elementary school high- fiving little kids in the cafeteria line. Nothing makes sense.

There you go again "my husband says..." , "probably did not.." like just save it. Was your husband there? No, so he knows as much as we all do which is he was NOT a threat and was murdered in cold blood. Your husband sounds like he's trying to justify killing a perfectly compliant man, again it's disgusting.

I can't watch the videos. They are horribly upsetting and I don't want to watch a man be murdered in front of his family. The cop WAY over reacted. I support law enforcement and I'm sure it's an extremely tense and scary job, but you can't just jump the gun (no pun intended) and shoot someone multiple times because you're scared. I feel the worst for the innocent child who had to witness this mess.

The cop was completely wrong, Philando Castile did every thing right and it still didn't save him. The fact that a jury saw this video and let this murderer go free is disgusting and speaks volumes to the race issues we have in this country. I'm terrified for what the future may have in store for my black sons.

Hubbys conceal and carry class mat. says say you have a carry permit first, then disclose your firearm and where it is, with your hands on the wheel and wait for the officer to direct you further. Philando, from the tapes i heard, only said he had a firearm, and he probably did not have his hands on the wheel. Im not saying hes at fault. The whole interaction was only 74 sec, i think the cop overreacted and made a poor choice. And they wouldn't have been able to find 12 ppl that would put him in jail, just 1 pro cop guy like my hubby would have made any trial a mistrial. It almost was.

It happened last summer, I believe. The cop was just on trial for murder & found not guilty. The whole thing makes me sick. I saw the video of the mom & child today. So heartbreaking. That poor little girl!

How long ago did this happen? I seen the video with the mom in it but that's all I know.

@osie, How else should he have disclosed that he had a firearm? He said "sir I do have to tell you that I have a firearm" he was told not to reach for it, he responded "I am not" and was immediately shot. The whole thing happened within 45 seconds

@osie

"May or may not have"

"Some accounts"

"We don't know"

You know what we do know? A cop fired 7 times into a car with a child in it for no reason other than fear. That's a coward I don't care if he can only work at McDonald's from now on he doesn't deserve to be free when he murdered that man in front of his family for no reason other than him being scared. He had options he could've waited for backup if he was that afraid to approach a family in a car, or like you said not pulled him over simply for being black! There is no justification and people who make up all these reasons why it's ok disgust me.

@Hockey don't watch it. That child brought me to tears. I didn't know the whole story but the things she said.... heartbreaking. I literally put my phone down and shed tears for her.

Its hard because the cop did not give clear instructions and Philando did not disclose his firearm properly. Not that he had to. The partial disclosure and not having his hands in a safe spot like the steering wheel put the cop in a state of panic and he shot the guy who was not really a threat at all. And endangered the other ppl in the car. My hubby, the gun owner, dislikes that he had thc in his system, my hubby will not carry when hes even had a beer or any other brain altering medication. Not that we know the thc was even affecting him. I dislike that the cops story appeared to shift. Some accts he saw the gun, saw him touching the gun, in others he didnt know where the gun was. I dislike that he pulled him over for matching the description of a lot of black guys, and what was he going to do? Record his license and registration and let him go, im not sure what pulling over ppl hoping to find a suspect that you dont have a picture of accomplishes and im not sure that he didnt make up that non working tail light. The guy may not be in jail but he won't work with the general public again and i doubt a pd would hire him. I dont think him being in jail would help stop police shootings. Their job is dangerous and they wont risk their safety when confronting a subject. I agree with many of the police shootings ive heard of, but not this one.

I can't watch either of the videos the story upsets me enough, the fact he got off enrages me but that's what life is like in America. You can shoot a unarmed black man if he just looks threatening, it makes me terrified for my sons, both will most likely be over 6ft tall and black so I'm sure people will feel "threatened" no matter how well I raise them or if they are complying at a routine traffic stop.

The cop told him to get his license which was in his pocket. He followed every instruction the cop gave him and still ended up dead. No resistance. No defiance. No explanation for his death.

I live not too far from where it happened. So sad. I can't bring myself to watch the video with the girlfriend and child. The cop was definitely in the wrong.

I also think he was murdered. He did everything right. He had a firearm and verbalized that in plain English to the officer as he was asked to get his license. Seconds later he was shot dead in front of his girlfriend and a small child. It was wrong. So wrong & there was absolutely no justice for him or his loved ones.

No way was the cop justified to shoot at all, much less 7 times. Ridiculous. The cop freaked out and way way way overreacted.

One could argue that the guy shouldn't have been reaching for his permit when the cop said to stop, but my gosh. So you murder him? It was crazy and it ticks me off he got off bc he was a cop and felt "threatened" ?.

And seven times pp? That's ridiculous!

And he said in the recording he was pulling them over because he looked like a robbery suspect. He said he thought he looked like the suspect because of his wide set nose. I mean seriously if that's the only thing that made him think he was the suspect he is extremely racist. And most men have their wallets in their back pockets. Reaching his gun my ass. What that child said is the most heart wrenching thing I've ever heard.

Hell no the cop was not in the right. He should be sitting in prison for the rest of his life. I seen the live Facebook video and the dashcam video. He was asked to reach for his wallet. When he did so was shot like 7 times! In front of his 4yr old and fiance. The cop did not try and save him while he bled out. I. Just. Can't

I think philando Castile was murdered and that the officers response in the situation has absolutely no justification. And even if I hold back my very strong opinion about race in relation to this shooting, I think that the use of unnecessary lethal force by police desperately needs to be addressed in this country.

I saw that video and the one of him being shot (well, some of that last one) but I don't know anything else. The video with the little girl broke my heart though. I stopped watching the one with him being shot, it was on Instagram and I didn't know what was going on until shots were fired and I backed out. I couldn't make out what was being said. Once I realized it was someone being shot I couldn't watch it.