Philando Castile was shot and killed by a police officer on July 6th, 2016.
A police officer had pulled Castile over for a broken tail-light. The officer asked Castile for his license and registration. Before reaching, Castile let the officer know that he had a firearm on him and he had a license to carry. The officer told Castile to put his arms up and as Castile was doing so he was shot four times by the police officer.
There are many sides to every story and many differentiating opinions, but I think that all Americans can come together and agree that some police officers are too quick to "jump the gun" (yes, pun intended). Philando Castile did everything that he was told to do. He let the officer know before reaching that he had a license to carry, and he was shot while putting his arms back up.
While I hate to say it, I do believe tragedies like this have become a racial issue now. In 2016 alone police have killed at least 136 black citizens. The color of a citizen's skin should not define them. I am a white citizen and I have become just as scared to walk out of my front door as a black citizen is.
I am afraid that when I walk out of my front door I am going to be shot, mugged, abused, and/or harassed. The fact that I cannot walk out of my front door and feel safe is an issue. Police are supposed to protect us and help us, but lately it seems that they may be doing more harm than good. There is no reason to hold a gun to a dying man, after he has been shot 4 times previously.
"Philando Castile worked for the Saint Paul Public Schools since 2002 and was described as '..quiet, respectful, and kind. I knew him as warm and funny..'"(CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley). The two officers involved are on paid administrative leave. A man was killed for no good reason at all, and they are getting paid to miss work.
Castile was a good man who took care of his family and went to work. He didn't do a single thing wrong. He was respectful and did everything he was supposed to do. It is not all officers that are in the wrong, but there are far too many officers that are in the wrong. Something needs to be done before a whole race is killed off by the mistakes of police officers. Something needs to be done before every citizen in the United States fears our law enforcement. We need change and we need it now.
