By Shawn Price, upi.com
Protesters holding “black lives matter” signs gathered outside the governor’s residence in Minnesota after an officer fatally shot a man during a traffic stop live streamed by his girlfriend.
A Roseville, Minn., police officer pulled over the couple in Falcon Heights because the vehicle Philando Castile, 32, was driving had a broken tail light. Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, began a live stream video of the traffic stop on Facebook moments later after she said the officer shot Castile in the arm.
In the video, Castile’s body can be seen bloodied and slumped over as an officer — whose name has not been reported — points his weapon at the man.
Reynolds said before the officer opened fire, Castile told the officer that he had a concealed carry license and a gun in his possession. She said Castile was shot as he reached for his driver’s license.
“You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir,” Reynolds said in the video.
#BlackLivesMatter here, @GovMarkDayton.#FalcolnHeightsShooting #PhilandoCastile pic.twitter.com/8Go5b3XKj3
— Black Lives MPLS (@BlackLivesMpls) July 7, 2016
Castile was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he died minutes after arrival, his family said.
Sgt. Jon Mangseth, interim chief of the St. Anthony Police Department, told reporters at a press conference early Thursday there were three officers on the scene during the incident. One has been put on standard paid administrative leave.
Mangseth also told reporters Wednesday’s incident was the area’s first officer-involved shooting in more than three decades.
The shooting took place two days after the shooting death caught on video, Alton Sterling, 37, as he was being held by police in Baton Rouge, La., stirred racially tinged protests.
About 200 people gathered at the scene where Castile was shot to protest brutality. Some marched to the governor’s mansion, calling for him to make a statement. Black Lives Matter movement organizers said they would stay at the location until he did so.
