Minn. officer charged with manslaughter in death of Philando Castile

The Minnesota police officer who fatally shot a black man during a traffic stop in July has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, according to The Associated Press.

The shooting became highly publicized when Philando Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, broadcast the moments after the shooting on Facebook Live.

{mosads}Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced Wednesday morning that Officer Jeronimo Yanez would also be charged with endangering the lives of Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter, who was in the car during the shooting.

Yanez and his partner had been on leave from the St. Anthony Police Department following the shooting. 

Choi called Yanez’s use of deadly force unjustified, according to reports, noting that while Castile was armed, he did not attempt to remove his gun from his pocket. 

Castile’s death drew national outrage and was one of several police shootings that drew scrutiny this year. 

A day before Castile was shot, another man, Alton Sterling, was fatally shot by police in Baton Rouge, La.