Philando Castile's Girlfriend Speaks Out: 'I Need Justice; I Need Peace'

By Eyder Peralta

Published July 7, 2016 at 3:52 PM CDT

Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of Philando Castile, is consoled as she talks about his shooting death with protesters and media outside the governor's residence in St. Paul, Minn.

UPDATED 12:30 a.m. ET July 8, 2016 with police officers named:

Minnesota Public Radio reports that authorities have identified two police officers involved in the fatal shooting of motorist Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minn., on Wednesday night:

"Officer Jeronimo Yanez of the St. Anthony Police Department fired the shots that killed Philando Castile during a traffic stop Wednesday night, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said.

"Yanez and Officer Joseph Kauser, who was working alongside Yanez, have been placed on administrative leave. Both have been with the department for four years, according to the BCA on Thursday.

"The BCA's investigation is ongoing. Once complete, the bureau says it will give findings to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office 'without recommendation for review under Minnesota statues.'

"The bureau says squad car video, among other footage and witness interviews, has been taken as evidence. St. Anthony police don't wear body cameras, according to the BCA."

Our original post continues:

Diamond "Lavish" Reynolds, the woman who live-streamed the aftermath of a police shooting that left her boyfriend dead, is demanding justice.

Reynolds delivered an emotional soliloquy to the activists and reporters who had gathered in front of the Minnesota governor's mansion in St. Paul on Thursday.

"They took his life for no reason," she said. "They did this to my daughter and they did this to me and I want justice and I want peace." Reynolds' 4-year-old daughter was with her and Philando Castile when he was shot.

Reynolds said a police officer opened fire as Castile reached for his wallet. She said that police didn't provide first aid to Castile and then kept her in custody into the early morning without giving her food or water.

Reynolds said that she started to live-stream her encounter because she wanted the world to see the truth. She was afraid that police would tell a different story.

"I did it so that the world knows that these police are not here to protect and serve us," she said. "They are here to assassinate us. They are here to kill us because we are black."

Reynolds described Castile as a gentle, hardworking man, who had welcomed her daughter as his own. Reynolds said that she will get through this but she's not sure how her daughter, who witnessed the shooting and aftermath, will fare.

We'll leave with a video of Reynolds' full comments: