It all happened so fast.
One moment, they’re calmly discussing the traffic stop.
The next moment it’s a fatality.
What you take away from this scene will depend on your read of the exchange in the video. (They key conversation begins AFTER the driver’s license is produced at the 1:32 mark.)
Those quick to call cops bigots will jump to the conclusion that this was murder.
Those who defend all cops in every instance, will say Castile was wrong to ‘reach’.
Anyone in the middle might call it a tragic misunderstanding in a charged situation.
What’s your take?
Watch:
Castile notified the cop that he was carrying.
They were both still speaking calmly at that point.
The cop, still sounding calm, said ‘OK. Don’t reach for it then.’
Then a little more urgently … ‘Don’t pull it out.’
And a more urgently again … ‘Don’t pull it out!’.
On Castile’s side of the exchange, his voice in this exchange sounded — to this writer — respectful.
He said — with a level voice — ‘sir, I have to tell you I do have a firearm on me’
It’s difficult to make out what he said after that.
Why Did the Castile Stop go so horribly wrong?
