According to WCCO, Philando Castile, 32, was pulled over Wednesday because his vehicle had a broken taillight, his girlfriend and passenger, Diamond Reynolds, said while filming a viral Facebook Live video that captured the aftermath of the incident. Reynolds' 4-year-old daughter was also in the car, WCCO reports. The video was posted on the Facebook page of Lavish Reynolds, where it has received over 2 million views.
In the graphic video, which reappeared on YouTube and Twitter after Facebook briefly took it down, Reynolds said Castile was getting his wallet when he told police that he had a gun and a concealed-carry permit, WCCO reports. That's when an officer opened fire on Castile, shooting him four times, Reynolds said.
>> See the video here (WARNING: GRAPHIC)
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating, KSTP reports.
In a one-minute press conference early Thursday, St. Anthony Interim Police Chief Jon Mangseth said the officer involved in the incident has been placed on paid administrative leave. He said he was "aware there was a livestream on Facebook" but had not watched the clip.
The attorney for Jeronimo Yanez, the police officer who shot Castile, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Yanez reacted to "the presence of that gun and the display of that gun" and not Castile's race. Attorney Thomas Kelly says Yanez, who is Latino, is "distraught and saddened" over the shooting.
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