St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez has been placed back on administrative leave, a week after returning to duty following the July shooting death of a black motorist in Falcon Heights.
The decision to change Yanez’s status “was made after reviewing concerns and other feedback from the community,” the city said in a prepared statement Wednesday. Protesters objected to Yanez’s return to duty at a rally last week and during a recent city council meeting. The duty involved desk work and other administrative assignments.
Yanez fatally shot Philando Castile, 32, during a July 6 traffic stop in Falcon Heights, which contracts with St. Anthony for police services. The aftermath of the shooting was captured on a livestream by Castile’s girlfriend, and his death prompted weeks of protests in the Twin Cities and beyond.
“Out of respect to the sensitive nature of the tragic incident and the concerns from the community, the mayor, city council and city manager have decided to make this change,” the city’s statement states. “Officer Yanez’s status with the department will be reviewed when the investigation process related to the incident is complete.”
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s investigation continues.
About 30 protesters gathered outside St. Anthony City Hall on Friday. They included members of Castile’s family.
Clarence Castile, an uncle of Philando Castile’s, said Wednesday that he believed people’s outrage led St. Anthony officials to respond. He viewed Yanez’s leave as a step in the right direction, though he said the family hopes that ultimately he will be charged, and he wishes the officer wasn’t being paid while on leave.
“We can’t control that, either,” Clarence Castile said. “That’s something that needs to come down through legislation.”
Philando Castile worked as a cafeteria supervisor at J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet School in St. Paul. He was driving and his girlfriend was a passenger when they were pulled over by Yanez on Larpenteur Avenue. Castile was a registered gun owner and had his firearm with him at the time.
The girlfriend said in the video after Castile was shot that he was reaching for his wallet when the officer opened fire. Castile’s death prompted weeks of protests, with many of those participating saying that had Castile been white, he would be alive today.
Yanez’s attorney has responded that the officer fired not because of Castile’s race but because of the presence of a gun. The attorney has not elaborated on that contention, and he could not be reached for further comment Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Yanez, who is Latino, has had a sterling reputation in St. Anthony’s police ranks since joining the force in late 2011, Police Chief Jon Mangseth told the Associated Press. The chief described Yanez as energetic and intelligent, a skilled officer whom he chose to join the department’s special crime prevention program.