Breaking down the dashcam: The Philando Castile shooting timeline
On the evening of July 6, 2016, St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez stopped a white Oldsmobile driven by Philando Castile in Falcon Heights. Also in the car were Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and her young daughter. Just one minute later, Yanez fired seven shots into the vehicle, fatally wounding Castile. This is a breakdown of key events shown in the police dashcam video. This article contains graphic content and language.
On the evening of July 6, 2016, St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez stopped a white Oldsmobile driven by Philando Castile in Falcon Heights. Also in the car were Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and her young daughter. Just one minute later, Yanez fired seven shots into the vehicle, fatally wounding Castile. This is a breakdown of key events shown in the police dashcam video. This article contains graphic content and language.
VIDEO BREAKDOWN
9:05:00 p.m.
Castile's vehicle comes to a complete stop next to the curb. Yanez approached the driver's side of Castile's vehicle. As he walked toward the vehicle, Yanez had his right hand on the right side of his duty belt near his gun. Castile was buckled in his seatbelt.
9:05:22 p.m.
Yanez leaned down with his head near to and in front of the driver's side window, exchanged greetings with Castile, and informed Castile of a brake light problem. Officer Joseph Kauser, Yanez's partner, approached on the sidewalk on the passenger side of Castile's vehicle, and stopped near the rear seat passenger door. Yanez asked for Castile's driver's license and proof of insurance.
9:05:48 p.m.
Castile provided Yanez with his proof of insurance card. Yanez appeared to look at Castile's insurance information and then tucked the card in his outer pocket. Kauser stood next to the car on the passenger side.
9:05:52 p.m.
Castile calmly informed Yanez: "Sir, I have to tell you that I do have a firearm on me." Before Castile completed the sentence, Yanez interrupted and calmly replied, "OK," and placed his right hand on the holster of his own holstered weapon.
9:05:55 p.m.
Yanez said, "Okay, don't reach for it, then ... don't pull it out." Castile responded, "I'm not pulling it out," and Reynolds also said, "He's not pulling it out."
9:05:59 p.m.
Yanez repeated, raising his voice, "Don't pull it out!" as he quickly pulled his own gun with his right hand and reached inside the driver's window with his left hand. Reynolds screamed, "No!"
9:06:00 p.m.
Yanez removed his left arm from the car and fired seven shots in the direction of Castile in rapid succession.
9:06:03 p.m.
Reynolds yelled, "You just killed my boyfriend!"
9:06:04 p.m.
Castile moaned and said, "I wasn't reaching for it."
9:06:05 p.m.
Reynolds loudly said, "He wasn't reaching for it." Before she completed her sentence, Yanez again screamed, "Don't pull it out!" Reynolds responded, "He wasn't." Yanez yelled, "Don't move! Fuck!"
9:06:23 p.m.
Reynolds' 4-year-old daughter exited the car. Kauser picked her up and carried her away from the Oldsmobile.
9:06:31 p.m.
Yanez called in the shooting: "Shots fired!" Several seconds later, Reynolds began streaming on Facebook Live.
9:08:08 p.m.
The officers ordered Reynolds to exit the car and she was taken into custody.
9:09:44 p.m.
Another officer escorted Yanez away from the car as Yanez holstered his weapon.
9:11:06 p.m.
Castile was removed from the car, laid on the pavement and aid was administered.
This post has been updated to include additional dialogue between Yanez, Castile and Reynolds.
These Minnesotans are poised to play prominent roles in state and national politics in the coming years.
