Philando 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.
