Philando Castile was honored Sunday, November 20 at J.J. Hill Montessori Elementary School in St. Paul where he worked as a food service manager for 13 years before his July 6 death at the hands of police. Phliando Castile’s mother Valerie and sister Allysza, along with former co-workers, students, and neighbors, came together for a bench and tree dedication made possible through contributions from community members, collected by the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers.
Castile was fatally shot by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop. On Wednesday, November 16, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced that second-degree manslaughter charges will be filed against Yanez.
Castile family members expressed appreciation for the dedication. Valerie Castile said she hoped that people would use her son’s memory to come together. “There’s only one race and that’s the human race,” she said. “One person shouldn’t be looked at differently than others… We need to do better as a nation of people. Because this isn’t about my son, this is about humanity.”
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