Minnesota officer charged in Philando Castile shooting

A Minnesota prosecutor has filed second-degree manslaughter charges against the police officer who shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop in July. The shooting, in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, sparked national outrage after Castile’s girlfriend live-streamed the aftermath on Facebook. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said before filing charges his office had to determine whether officer Jeronimo Yanez was justified in believing deadly force was necessary. Yanez’s attorney said he stopped Castile in part because he thought he matched the description of an armed robbery suspect. Castile told Yanez he had a permit to carry a gun and was armed. Castile’s girlfriend, who was in the car at the time, said he was reaching for his identification when Yanez shot him. The shooting triggered a week of protests in St. Paul and complaints about racial profiling. Although African-Americans make up just 7 percent of the population of Falcon Heights and two neighboring suburbs, they constitute 50 percent of arrests. If convicted, Yanez faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.