Video Released of Four Year Old Witness of Philando Castile Killing

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FILE - In this July 25, 2016, file photo, a memorial including a photo of Philando Castile adorns the gate to the governor's residence where protesters continue to demonstrate in St. Paul, Minn., against the July 6, 2016, shooting death of Castile by St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minn. Yanez is expected to enter his plea on manslaughter charges during a hearing Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)
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The terrified four-year-old witness to the killing of Philando Castile by a Minnesota cop pleaded with her mother to cooperate with police moments after his death telling her “I don’t want you to get shooted,” a newly released police video shows.

The video, which came out with a bundle of evidence from the Castile trial, captures the interaction between Diamond Reynolds, Castile’s girlfriend, and her daughter as they were held in the back of a squad car shortly after the shooting. In the heart-wrenching video, a handcuffed Reynolds yells “F—!” — and immediately her young daughter begins to cry begging her mother to “please stop cussing and screaming because I don’t want you to get shooted.” The weeping girl then embraces her mother, who tells her to give her a kiss. “I can keep you safe,” says the girl, while wiping away tears from her face.

Moments after St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez fired seven times at Philando Castile, Diamond Reynolds’ 4-year-old daughter repeatedly pleaded with her to be quiet and cooperative so she wouldn’t also be shot.

“Mom, please stop cussing and screaming ’cause I don’t want you to get shooted,” the girl told her handcuffed mother in the back of a squad car. Yanez fatally shot Castile during a traffic stop with both Reynolds and her daughter in the car.

“OK, give me a kiss,” Reynolds responded. “My phone just died, that’s all.”

“I can keep you safe,” the girl responded.

“It’s OK. I got it, OK?” Reynolds whispered before the child began to cry.

“I can’t believe they just did that,” Reynolds said.

 

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