Dash-cam footage of the US police killing Philando Castile is publicly released (video)

A video of a Minnesota officer shooting a 32-year-old 
black motorist, Philando Castile, whose dying moments 
were livestreamed on Facebook, was made public for 
the first time on Tuesday, days after the officer was 
acquitted at trial.

The graphic footage captures the fateful exchange 
between Philando Castile and police officer Jeroimo 
Yanez in an incident that sparked nationwide protests 
last year.

The dash-cam video, part of a trove of documents, 
images and audio from the investigatio, shows Yanez approaching Castile's car and explaining that he was 
pulled over for broken brake lights. Thirty seconds later, Castile says:

"Sir, I have to tell you I do have a firearm on me." Castile 
had a legal permit to carry a gun.

The officer responds, "Don't reach for it then," and 
Castile can be heard attempting to explain what he is 
reaching for" The conversation lasts just eight seconds, 
with Yanez interrupting twice saying, "Don't pull it out."

Yanez then shoots seven times into the driver's side 
of the vehicle, with the first shots at such close range 
that his weapon is partially inside the car cabin.

The incident -- one in a series of high-profile shootings 
of African-Americans by police -- stunned the nation 
after Castile's final moments were livestreamed on 
Facebook by his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds, as
 blood spread on Castile's shirt.

Prosecutors would later said that Yanez had thought 
Castile resembled a suspect in a nearby armed robbery 
a few days earlier.

Reynolds said Castile was reaching for his wallet and
identification when he was shot.

But the police officer later told investigators that he 
feared for his life.

In the video, as emergency medical personnel are 
working on Castile who is laying on the street, Yanez 
can be heard off camera recounting the events of the shooting.

"[Castile] was just staring straight ahead and I was 
getting fucking nervous," Yanez says, his voice 
sounding distressed.

"I told him not to reach for it," he says.

The 29-year-old police officer was acquitted last 
Friday of second-degree manslaughter and of two 
felony counts of intentional discharge of a dangerous 
weapon.

The acquittal led to renewed protests in Minnesota, 
with 18 people arrested Saturday after blocking a major highway near the courthouse in the capital city of St Paul.

Federal prosecutors said they are assessing the case 
to see if it warrants further review.