Several individuals involved in an officer-involved shooting incident that happened on July 6 in Falcon Heights have been identified. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is conducting an independent investigation into the incident.
Officer Jeronimo Yanez and Officer Joseph Kauser have both been with the St. Anthony Police Department for four years. Both are on standard administrative leave.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office this evening identified the person fatally shot during the incident as Philando Divall Castile, 32, St. Paul. Castile died of multiple gunshot wounds.
At approximately 9:05 p.m. Wednesday, the two St. Anthony police officers conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Larpenteur Avenue West and Fry Street in Falcon Heights. Castile was the driver of that vehicle.
Officer Yanez approached the vehicle from the driver’s side and Officer Kauser from the passenger side. At one point during the interaction, Officer Yanez discharged his weapon, striking Castile multiple times. No one else was injured. A gun was recovered at the scene.
Officer Yanez radioed a request for an ambulance. There were two passengers in the vehicle, Diamond Reynolds and her juvenile daughter.
Additional responding personnel from the Roseville Police Department and St. Paul Fire Department removed Castile from the vehicle and provided medical attention until the ambulance arrived. Castile was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
Law enforcement personnel transported Reynolds and her daughter to the Roseville Police Department, where Reynolds provided a statement to investigators about the incident. Afterward, a Roseville police officer brought Reynolds home.
The BCA investigation into this incident is ongoing. Interviews with witnesses are ongoing and several videos, including squad car video of the incident, have been collected as evidence. St. Anthony Police Department officers do not wear body cameras. The BCA requests that any member of the public who witnessed the shooting contact the BCA at 651-793-7000.
Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will turn its findings over to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office without recommendation for review under Minnesota statutes.
About the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) provides investigative and specialized law enforcement services to prevent and solve crimes in partnership with law enforcement, public safety and criminal justice agencies. Services include criminal justice training, forensic laboratory analysis, criminal histories and investigations.
