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Philando Castile's girlfriend has reached an $800,000 settlement over the fatal police shooting she live-streamed

Michelle Mark   

Philando Castile's girlfriend has reached an $800,000 settlement over the fatal police shooting she live-streamed
Politics3 min read

diamond reynolds philando castile

Getty Images/Stephen Maturen

Diamond Reynolds speaks to a crowd outside the Governor's Mansion on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

  • The girlfriend of Philando Castile, Diamond Reynolds, has reached an $800,000 settlement with the city of St. Anthony to resolve her complaint of emotional distress and false arrest.
  • Reynolds live-streamed the aftermath of the police shooting that killed Castile in July 2016.


Diamond Reynolds, the woman who live-streamed the aftermath of her boyfriend Philando Castile's fatal shooting at the hands of a Minnesota police officer, will get an $800,000 settlement, St. Anthony officials announced.

The city council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to settle with Reynolds for $675,000, the Star Tribune reported. She will also receive $125,000 from the nearby city of Roseville and the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust.

The settlement must still be finalized by a judge, but the amount is intended to resolve Reynolds' complaint of emotional distress and false arrest. Reynolds said in a statement on Tuesday that what she experienced the night of Castile's shooting was "wrong."

"While no amount of money can change what happened, bring Philando back, or erase the pain that my daughter and I continue to suffer, I do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward," her statement said, according to the Star Tribune.

Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter were driving with Castile in his car on July 6, 2016, when St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled them over. Yanez made the traffic stop after noticing Castile's broken brake light, but he later said Castile matched the description of a robbery suspect.

During the stop, Yanez asked Castile to show him his driver's license and insurance information, at which point Castile told Yanez he had a firearm, which he was legally licensed to carry. After Yanez warned Castile not to pull out the gun, and being assured by both Castile and Reynolds that Castile was not reaching for it, Yanez drew his own weapon and fired seven shots at Castile, killing him.

Dashcam footage shows the entire exchange occurred within 40 seconds of Yanez approaching Castile's window.

Soon after the shooting, Reynolds began livestreaming the situation on Facebook, in a video that showed Castile bloodied and slumped over in the driver's seat. The video quickly went viral and Reynolds was praised for her calm exchange with a panicked Yanez. After the shooting, the Roseville police department detained Reynolds and Minnesota officials questioned her about the incident.

In the months after the shooting, Yanez was dismissed from the police department and charged with second-degree manslaughter. A jury acquitted him in June and the city of St. Anthony settled with Castile's mother later that month for $3 million.

St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust told the Star Tribune that Reynolds' settlement "will resolve all civil litigation" against the city and "opens the door to healing." A city statement also said part of the settlement will be placed into a trust for Reynolds' daughter and her future education.

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