iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The family of Philando Castile, who was shot and killed by officer Jeronimo Yanez of the St. Anthony Police Department, has reached a $3 million settlement with the City of St. Anthony Village, Minnesota, according to a joint statement from both parties.
The settlement follows the acquittal of Yanez on June 16 of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of intentional discharge of a firearm that endangers safety.
Castile was killed on July 6, 2016, during a traffic stop, and his death, as well as the acquittal of Yanez, have drawn protests across the country.
The settlement over Castile’s death is the second major settlement to be awarded to the victim of a police shooting in recent days.
The family of Michael Brown, a black teenager who was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, settled its lawsuit against Ferguson for $1.5 million on June 23.
The Castile settlement is nearly double the amount of what the Brown family received.
“Under the terms of the settlement, Valerie Castile, as Trustee, will receive a payment in the amount of $2.995 million,” the statement says. “The settlement will be paid through the City’s coverage with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust.”
The joint statement notes that no taxpayer money from the City of St. Anthony Village will be used to fund the settlement, and that the family intends to “deal with their loss through the important work of the Philando Castile Relief Foundation,” a non-profit created to help victims of gun violence.
New dash cam video, which was released last week for the first time, reopened old wounds for those who were outraged by his shooting death nearly one year ago.
Yanez, who is Latino, initially encountered Castile, 32, while investigating a broken tail light on his vehicle.
Diamond Reynolds, Castile’s girlfriend, was in the car with him at the time the shooting took place, along with her 4-year-old daughter.
Reynolds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook Live, helping to make it a national news story.
The dash cam video shows Yanez saying, “OK. Don’t reach for it,” referring to a firearm Castile had.
“Don’t pull it out,” Yanez says, repeatedly, as he appears to draw his own weapon.
He fires multiple rounds into the car, and Reynolds’ voice can be heard screaming inside the car during the shooting.
The joint statement attempts to address the communal rift caused in the wake of Castile’s shooting death, and says that the city is working to “rebuild trust” between the police and those they serve.
“The important work of healing our community continues. The City of St. Anthony Village reaffirms its commitment to transforming its police department in partnership with the United States Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services,” the statement says. “Through the Collaborative Reform Initiative, the City and residents are working to improve trust between the police department and the communities it serves.”
Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.