Community Remembers Philando Castile At St. Paul Cathedral
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Thousands of people attended the funeral for Philando Castile Thursday at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
There has been an outpouring of support from across the country for Castile's family since he was fatally shot by police last week.
Thirty-two-year-old Castile was shot and killed by St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez last Wednesday night during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights. His girlfriend broadcast the aftermath on Facebook Live.
She claims he was reaching for his wallet, just like the officer had asked him to, when he was shot several times. Castile had told the officer he had a gun in the car and that he had a permit to carry, which we have verified.
The lawyer for the officer that pulled the trigger said Castile resembled a robbery suspect.
The Cathedral holds about 3,000 people, and since Castile's funeral is open to the public it is expected that capacity will be reached.
It's been a week since his Castile's death and emotions are still running high in the community.
Rep. Betty McCollum released a statement on the day of the funeral, extending condolences to Castile's loved ones.
"I too will say a prayer asking for peace and healing for Mr. Castile's family and for our entire community. Mr. Castile's death is a terrible tragedy, and the ongoing investigation must provide Mr. Castile's family and the public with both the facts and accountability appropriate to those facts. It is my hope that the facts will also lead to public policy action that prevents tragedies like this from happening in the future. Mr. Castile's death raised serious questions that have reverberated across the United States, and it is clear that we have work to do together in Minnesota both to address racial disparities and to heal the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve."
Philando's mother, Valerie Castile, requested to have the funeral at the Cathedral of St. Paul. She wanted a non-denominational service so people would have the opportunity to come together in a new way; praying for peace and reconciliation.
Castile's casket was carried horse and carriage from Brooks Funeral Home to the Cathedral around 9 a.m. It arrived a little after 9:30 a.m., followed by dozens of Castile's family members and friends. They walked behind the casket for a little over a mile before they reached the Cathedral.
Once they arrived, Castile's loved ones hugged and consoled each other.
#PhilandoCastile 's casket, in horse drawn carriage, arrives @CathedralStPaul ,followed by family, friends pic.twitter.com/h6edbMfJ9K
— Ashley Roberts (@AshleyRobertsTV) July 14, 2016
Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, cried outside the church and found comfort in the arms of loved ones, before she walked inside to say a final goodbye.
Even Cael, a third-grade student at the school where Castile worked in the cafeteria, had fond memories of a man he called his friend.
"He was nice to me, and he cared about me a lot," Cael said. "He was good at feeding the kids. He was good at feeding everybody."
Glenda Hatchett, the family's attorney, said the issue is bigger than black, white or blue lives.
"We are all brothers and sisters, because we believe that this is a matter -- an issue -- for all of humanity," she said.
GALLERY: Philando Castile's Funeral Procession
The visitation began 10 a.m. and went until noon, when the funeral service began. Church officials said the service will focus on preserving peace, justice and reconciliation. It's expected to last up to two hours.
Castile's burial will follow, but that will be private.
Following the burial there will be a reception at 4 p.m. J.J. Hill School, where Castile was a long-time employee.
This will be open to the public, and be a place where his family, friends and co-workers can come together to celebrate his life.
