Philando Castile: Five fast facts you need to know

CastilePhilando Castile: Five fast facts you need to know

A photo rendition that Philando Castile posted on social media.

1. He Was a Beloved School Cafeteria Worker Who Snuck Extra Graham Crackers to Children — Castile worked as a cafeteria supervisor at J.J. Hill Montessori School in St. Paul. A statement from the school system said Castile was hired in 2002, at age 19, and was promoted to supervisor two years ago. Philando Castile: Five fast facts you need to know

The statement described him as a “team player who maintained great relationships with staff and students alike” and said he was “quick to greet former coworkers with a smile and hug.” The statement included this glowing assessment from a co-worker: “Kids loved him. He was smart, over-qualified. He was quiet, respectful, and kind. I knew him as warm and funny; he called me his ‘wing man’.”

2. He Was a Straight-A Student in High School, Family Says & Had Only a Minor Criminal Record — Philando’s cousin, Antonio Johnson, 31, told the Star-Tribune that Philando was an honors student at St. Paul Central High School, “where he was a straight-A student.” He called Castile “very non-confrontational.” Some of his friends called him “Doc.

3. He Frequently Posted About Social Justice Causes, & His Sister Posted About Alton Sterling Just Hours Before Castile’s Death — On social media, Philando Castile frequently made comments about social justice. On his FaceBook page, he posted a photo of the Black Panther Movement and wrote, “BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!” In another post, he passed on a Tupac Shakur quote, “They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.” He also wrote: “GOD IS GOOD!!!!………ALL THE TIME!!!!!!” In another post he said, “They criminalize the Black lifestyle!!!!” This is a re-occurring theme in his writings: “We still slaves to the system!!!!!!”

4. Castile Had a Gun Permit, to His Girlfriend & a Major Newspaper & Informed the Officer That He Was Armed — In her FaceBook Live video, Lavish Reynolds said that Philando Castile was “licensed to carry” and was “trying to get out his ID” and “let the officer know he had a firearm, and he was reaching for his wallet, and the officer just shot him. … He just shot his arm off.”

5.Protests Erupted in the Wake of the Shooting & the Governor Called for a Federal Investigation — Shortly after the shooting, protests erupted outside the governor’s mansion, where people strung yellow police tape over the gate. Governor Mark Dayton later released a statement calling for an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.

About Carma Henry 24363 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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