Philando Castile Shooting: BCA Turns Over Investigation to County

The investigation in the July 6 fatal police shooting of Philando Castile that took place in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, has been turned over to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office for review.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced Wednesday that it had turned over its findings to the county. The BCA said it will continue to work with the county attorney as needed on the open investigation, but any further information will come from the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.

Ramsey County Attorney John J. Choi said in a letter Wednesday that he hasn't decided if a grand jury will deliberate on possible charges against St. Anthony Police officer Jeronimo Yanez, who fatally shot Castile in July.

"As I stated on July 8, I will make a determination at a later time about how best to proceed with a charging decision, either by taking it to the grand jury to allow our community to make a decision, or by handling it in our office," Choi said.

"I need some additional time to think through my thoughts on this process question. I am taking this thoughtful approach because it will enable me to make a fully informed decision."

Choi said there isn't a timeline for how long it will take him to decide on the next steps in the case.

"I know many people in our community feel a sense of urgency about this situation and want it resolved as soon as possible, but putting an artificial timeline on the investigation will not do it justice. I have spoken to the Superintendent of the BCA, the agency handling the investigation, and he assured me they are making this investigation a top priority. I have asked for a prompt and thorough investigation. Both of these goals are equally important to ensuring the integrity of this case."

Yanez fatally shot Castile during a traffic stop in the Twin Cities suburb of Falcon Heights. The aftermath of the shooting was caught on Facebook Live video recorded by Castile's girlfriend in the front seat of his car.

Castile, 32, was reaching into his pocket in response to Yanez's request for his license, according to his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, who was in the car with him.

Castile, who was stopped for a broken taillight, mentioned to Yanez that he had a permit for a concealed weapon. His girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter was sitting in the backseat. Yanez then opened fire, Reynolds said.

Following the fatal shooting, Yanez returned to work Aug. 15 in a "limited, administrative role," but was placed back on administrative leave after protests prompted the police department to change his status.

The St. Anthony Police Department has 23 officers, eight of whom are paid for through contracts with Lauderdale and Falcon Heights.

Falcon Heights, a suburb of about 5,300, has contracted with St. Anthony for police services for at least 10 years. The department’s interim chief said there hadn’t been an officer-involved shooting in the department for 30 years.

Photo: William Bornhoft/Patch.com